The following is a look at many common futurist beliefs. How do these stand up to the preterist view, history, and the facts?
"Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six." Revelation 13:18
The number 666 in the book of Revelation reveals the identity of a future anti-Christ. Click on the links below for some examples.
http://www.becomingone.org/666/
http://www.greaterthings.com/Word-Number/666/
Click here for the preterist view
The rebirth of Israel in 1948 is a super sign that proves the second coming is near.
Click here for the preterist view
The number of earthquakes on the earth has increased dramatically in the last 50 years. This is a sign that the end is near. Hal Lindsey said:
"Earthquakes continue to increase in frequency and intensity, just as the Bible predicts for the last days before the return of Christ. History shows that the number of killer quakes remained fairly constant until the 1950s - averaging between two to four per decade. In the 1950s, there were nine. In the 1960s, there were 13. In the 1970s, there were 51. In the 1980s, there were 86. From 1990 through 1996, there have been more than 150."
Click here for the facts
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. (Matt 24:9-10)
We are told that persecution against Christians is the worst it has ever been. Certainly, this is a sign that the end is near.
Click here for the facts
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. (Matt 24:6)
The 20th century was the bloodiest century ever. This means Jesus had to be talking about our time.
Click here for the facts
Mark of the Beast?
One of the best known features of Revelation among the general Christian populace today is also one of its most misunderstood. There is a widespread awareness of and interest in this intriguing passage of Revelation 13:18, which says: "Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six."
In order to gain a proper conception of this verse, a little historical and cultural background will be necessary. In ancient days alphabets served a two-fold purpose. Their first and foremost design was, of course, their service as letters from which words were composed in written communication. But in the second place, letters were also assigned numerical values and thus served as numerals.
This can be seen in that the word very simply and could have been spelled out, and also in that any particular mathematical value could fit a number of words or name. As we begin our trip back down into history we must bear in mind that John clearly says "the number of the beast" is "the number of a man" Rev.13:18
Since the book of Revelation is written in a Hebrew (Aramaic context by a Jew with numerous allusions to the Old Testament we should expect the solution to deciphering the meaning of 666 to be Hebraic. The reason clearly is that, while John writes in Greek, he thinks in Hebrew, and the thought has naturally affected the vehicle of expression. A compelling case can be made the the referent of 666 is non other than the infamous tyrant Nero Caesar.
When Nero Caesar's name is transliterated into Hebrew, we get "Neron Kesar (nrwn qsr: Hebrew has no letters to represent vowels) It has been documented by archaeological finds that a first century Hebrew spelling of Nero's name provides us with precisely the value of 666. Jastrow's lexicon of the Talmud contains the very spelling. When we take the letters of Nero's name and spell them in Hebrew we get the following numeric values: n=50, r = 200, w - 6, n = 50, q = 100, s =60, r = 200 = 666. Every Jewish reader, of course, saw that the Beast was a symbol of Nero. The Apostle writing as a Hebrew, was evidently thinking as Hebrew....Accordingly, the Jews Christian would have tried the name as he thought of the name-that is in Hebrew letters And the moment that he did this the secret stood revealed. No Jew ever thought of Nero except as ‘Neron Kesar.' Theses who read John's account of the Beast probably had come to this conclusion even before they made their calculation. Nero was the slayer of his own mother.
Subsequent Christian history supports the view that Nero was the Beast. "All the earliest Christian writers on the Apocalypse, from Irenaeus down to Victorinus of Pettau and Commodian in the fourth, and Andreas in the fifth, and St Beatus in the eighth century, connect Nero, or some Roman Emperor, with the Apocalyptic Beast. There is a curious variation on 666. Some manu scri pts read 616. Why would a copyist make such a number change?
Perhaps the change was intentional, seeing that the Greek from Neron Caesar written in Hebrew character (nrwn qsr) is equivalent to 666, whereas the Latin from Nero Caesar (nrw qsr) is equivalent to 616. Keep in mind that there were no copy machines in the first century. If you wanted a copy of a book, you had to copy it by hand. No matter how carefully a scribe worked, mistakes were inevitable.
Some mistakes occurred when a scribe was making a copy of a known copy. He might have thought the copy was mistaken and that it was up to him to correct it. A Greek or Latin copyist might have thought that 666 was an error because Nero Caesar did not add up to 666 when transliterated into Latin. He then changed 666 to 616 to conform to the Latin rendering since it was generally accepted the Nero was the Beast. In either case, a Hebrew transliteration nets 666, while a Latin spelling nets 616. Nero was the "man and 666 was his number. The Beast is a political figure. The Beat was Nero Caesar.
No where does John use the word Antichrist in Revelation to describe the Beast. In addition, Paul's "man of lawlessness" was clearly his contemporary, present in the world at the time of Paul's writing. The Thessalonians "know what was restraining him." (2 Thessalonians 2: 6) The "man of lawlessness" is not identified either by Paul or John as the Beast or Antichrist. Putting all of this together, we can conclude that the modern construction of the Antichrist doctrine is unbiblical.
The first readers of Revelation were told to "calculate the number of the Beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six" (Rev. 13:18) Since the Book of Revelation was written to a first-century audience, sometime in late A.D. 64, we should expect the first-century readers to be able to calculate the number with relative ease. They would have had few candidates from which to choose. The Roman emperor world have been their most likely choice
Nero was called the beast because of his bestial nature. Nero often often acted in "horrible viciousness as regards to men and women. He was a sodomist who is said to have castrated a boy named Sporus and married him. He enjoyed homosexual rape and torture. He killed his parents, brother, wife, aunt, and many others close to him. He even so prostituted his own chastity that after defiling almost every part of his body, he at last devised a kind odd game, in which covered with the skin of some wild animal he was let loose from a cage and attacked the private parts of men and women who were bound to stakes.
Revelation 13:7 speaks of the power given to the beast to make war with the saints. Nero was the first of the imperial authorities to persecute Christianity. Tacitus records the scene in Rome when the persecution of Christians broke out: "And their death was aggravated with mockeries, insomuch that, wrapped in the hides of wild beasts, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or fastened to crosses to be set on fire, that when the darkness fell they might be burned to illuminate the night." Revelation 13:5 says that the beast would continue 42 months.
The Neronic persecution was instituted in 64 AD and lasted until his death in June 68 AD, which is three and a half years, or 42 months. Nero fits the bill for the role of the beast. The beast is to die by a sword according to Revelation 13 The beast's number is 666; in Hebrew, Nero's name adds up to 666. The beast is an awful character; Nero had a beastly character. The beast made war with the saints for 42 months; Nero persecuted Christians for three and a half years. The beast dies by the sword; Nero killed himself with a dagger.
The beast is red; Nero had a red beard, which was very unusual in those times. Evidently the beast of Revelation is Nero. Remember, John told his readers, those first century Christians who lived in Asia Minor, that these things were to "shortly come to pass." We, twentieth-century Christians are not to be looking for some terrible beast to arise and bring great tribulation to believers, this has already happened during the time of Nero and the first-century Christians.
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1948 Israel?
The reestablishment of the state of Israel in 1948 is considered to be the most important sign that the second coming is near. One of the great problems with this dispensational view is that there is no rebirth of Israel or rebuilt temple mentioned anywhere in the New Testament. Nor is the supposed regathering of the Jews to their homeland. This is puzzling, because if the rebirth of Israel is the “super sign,†you would think it would be very prominent in prophetic passages such as Matt. 24 and Revelation. It simply is not.
There is only one passage that dispensationalists point to that they say speaks of the rebirth of Israel and that is in Matt. 24.
Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door."
The thought is that the fig tree represents a reborn Israel. However, other passages in the New Testament cast doubt upon this interpretation. In Matthew 24 parallel passage in Luke 21 Jesus says to “look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that Summer is now near (Luke 21:29-30) Are we talking about the rebirth of many nations here? It is far more logical to assume that Jesus was merely using the fig tree(s) as an object lesson.
Moreover, other passages that could associate Israel with a fig tree always speak of judgment and never of any sort of rebirth.
"Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, 'Let no fruit grow on you ever again.' Immediately the fig tree withered away.
And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, 'How did the fig tree wither away so soon?'
So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, it will be done.'" Matthew 21:18-21
Most scholars believe this particular fig tree did represent Old Covenant Israel. It was about to pass away and never bear fruit again. Jesus was not just mad because he wanted some figs and could not get any. Moreover, never again means never again.
Furthermore, when Jesus said that if they had faith and did not doubt, they would not only do what was done to the fig tree, but they could also say to this mountain Be removed and be cast into the sea, and it would be done. Was Jesus given them permission to tear up actual mountains and cast them into the sea? No, He was talking about something spiritual.
For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. (For they could not endure what was commanded: And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.†And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:18-24
If they had faith, they would see the Old Covenant which was represented by Mount Sinai torn up and cast away. And indeed it was.
Let us consider another parable with a fig tree.
I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. And He began telling this parable: A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground? And he answered and said to him, Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down. (Luke 9:3-9)
Obviously, the fig tree is not a nation about to be reborn, but one that was about to be judged, and indeed it was. It is interesting that Jesus probably told this parable in the third year of His ministry.
Next we must look at the covenantal implications of the rebirth of Israel. God's promise to give the Jews the land of Israel as their inheritance was an Old Covenant promise. This begs the question is the Old Covenant still in effect? If we say it passed away with the coming of the New Covenant, then so did the promise of the land.
However, if we say that it is still in effect for the Jews, we still run into problems. In the scri ptures the promise that the Jews would hold the land of Israel was conditional. Deuteronomy 28 tells us "If you are not careful to do all the words of this law you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it, And the LORD will scatter you among all the peoples, from one end of the earth to the other. " If the people who now live in Israel are not keeping the Law of Moses (and they cant be. The Mosaic Law ceased to be observed in AD. 70, and it has never been observed in full since.), how can we say that God has given them the land back?
Even if you say that Gods covenant with Abraham to give the Jews the physical land of Israel is still in effect, look what the Bible says are Gods conditions for remembering His promise.
"But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land. Leviticus 26:40-42.
Did the Jews meet this condition before the 1948 regathering? No! This essentially makes God a liar!
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Earthquakes Increasing?
The statistics Lindsey quotes are bogus. Moreover, no one seems to be able to establish where he got his numbers. The fact is earthquakes are not increasing.
Data from the National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows that the number of big earthquakes in the second half of the twentieth century were substantially less that the number of big earthquakes in the first half of the century. A DECREASE NOT AN INCREASE!
We offer this web site as documentation.
http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/7up.html
Some people say that the number of earthquakes of all sizes is increasing and then quote statistics to prove their point. However, the NEIC says that this because our ability to perceive and record earthquakes has increased dramatically.
This quote is from their web site:
We continue to be asked by many people throughout the world if earthquakes are on the increase. Although it may seem that we are having more earthquakes, earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have remained fairly constant.
A partial explanation may lie in the fact that in the last twenty years, we have definitely had an increase in the number of earthquakes we have been able to locate each year. This is because of the tremendous increase in the number of seismograph stations in the world and the many improvements in global communications. In 1931, there were about 350 stations operating in the world; today, there are more that 8,000 stations and the data now comes in rapidly from these stations by electronic mail, internet and satellite. This increase in the number of stations and the more timely receipt of data has allowed us and other seismological centers to locate earthquakes more rapidly and to locate many small earthquakes which were undetected in earlier years. The NEIC now locates about 20,000 earthquakes each year or approximately 50 per day. Also, because of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in the environment and natural disasters, the public now learns about more earthquakes.
Click here to see more government data
Seismologists are unanimous in saying that the number of earthquakes has remained constant throughout history.
Wilbur Rinehart: “There has been no significant increase in the numbers of earthquakes in this century or any other century.â€
Keiiti Aki: “I feel very strongly that the seismicity has been stationary for thousands of years.
Waverly Person: “Our records do not show any significant increase in great earthquakes.
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Persecutions?
Futurists are very quick to point out the application of this verse for our day. They say persecution against Christians is the worse it has ever been! While persecutions against Christianity are very severe in certain parts of the world, is it true that persecution is more intense that it has ever been? The following statistic taken from the World Evangelism Center which is a Dispensationalist organization at Regent University says otherwise.
Average Christian martyrs worldwide per year in 1970 377,000
Average Christian martyrs worldwide per year in 2002 160,000
What changed? There can be only one answer. It was the fall of the Soviet Union and the waning of Communism worldwide. This event gave great hope to the world. We are even now experiencing the impact of these events. Do we realize that in the past few decades the number of Democracies worldwide has doubled?
Here is a recent article on how technology has been a factor in the spread of democracy. This article also goes very much against the common thought that technology will be used to enslave humanity. In many cases quite the opposite is true. It is becoming a tool for freedom.
Click Here to read the article
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Wars?
Much of the following information comes from Richard Abanes book End Time Visions.
Author Tim LaHay claims that in the 20th century more than 180 million people were killed in wars. He states that this is more than have been killed in all the wars in history. It seems that no one challenges LaHay on this assertion. We think he must be right because of WWI and WWII. (Never mind that LaHay says God’s prophetic time clock started to tick in 1948!) However, history proves LaHays statement to be absolutely ludicrous. A 1974 study of warfare showed that approximately three billion people have been killed in over 14,000 wars since 3600 B.C.
Even the idea that the 20th century was the bloodiest century ever is debatable. Things happened on a grander scale in the twentieth century mostly because there were so many more people on the earth in the 20th century than in any other century. Even then there have been wars in past centuries that have rivaled the magnitude of modern wars.
See this link for world population growth charts.
http://desip.igc.org/populationmaps.html
Consider the seventeenth century. The thirty years war (1618-1648) involved ten nations and claimed the lives of two to three million soldiers. In Germany alone thirty to forty percent of the German civilian population died during this conflict. That is seven to eight million people. Germany did not suffer nearly so greatly in WWII. Then in 1644 was the Manchu-Chinese war in which twenty-five million people lost their lives. Remember world population was four to five times as great in the twentieth century than in the seventeenth century. A larger percentage of people lost their lives due to warfare in the seventeenth century than in the twentieth. In fact, if you study the population charts, you will see that world population actually decreased in the first half of the 17th century. We see no such decrease in the 20th century.
The nineteenth century was equally as bloody. Its worst wars were the Napoleonic Wars (1792- 1815) which took five to six million lives and the Taiping Rebellion which cost thirty million people their lives.
J. David Singer and Melvin Small in their book The Wages of War 1816- 1965 said:
Is war on the increase, as many scholars as well as laymen of our generation have been inclined to believe? The answer would seem to be a very unambiguous negative. Whether we look at the number of wars, or their severity or magnitude, there is no significant trend upward or down over the past 150 years.
Moreover, there is Jesus use of the phrase rumors of wars in Matt. 24. In our day of instant media coverage, would a rumor of a war even be possible? This is something about which the end times prophets refuse to comment.
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