I am undoubtedly a covenantal dispensationalist. Pre-trib and premillenial too.
Ah ok. I've heard that phrase. I'm not sure of their distinctiveness.
I am undoubtedly a covenantal dispensationalist. Pre-trib and premillenial too.
By the way, I don't know who said this:
ISRAEL (a microcosm)
And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel... And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.(Rev 7:4; 14:1)
THE CHURCH
After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands (Rev 7:9)
I have some folks on ignore so if they were expecting a reply from me, it won't come. Once their rudeness level gets to a certain point, I just filter them. It could be someone who isn't rude, though, and I just missed it.
Nehemiah6 said it. That's his post I quoted.
Well, in your worldview, the church has done flown away by that point, even though Revelation has not recorded this alleged departure
That's another question I would have..it seems like such an important event as the pretribulation rapture would have been recorded, in line with the rest of the end time events, if this is a factual teaching. Where is it? Isn't it supposed to occur after Revelation 5?
The claim is that the Church isn't mentioned from Revelation 6 forward..however, this view presupposes that the 144,000 are not the Church, and that the offspring of the woman are not the Church. Of course, if you refuse to consider the symbols of the Church, you will claim the Church is not present after Revelation 5.
By the word "it" ^ in your questions above (in bold), I assume you mean "the pre-trib rapture" (from your previous sentence), is that correct? "Isn't IT [the pretrib rapture] supposed to happen AFTER Revelation 5?" My answer: No.
In Revelation 5:9, the already-raptured Church (represented by the "24 elders" on "24 thrones" wearing "stephanos/crowns" [note: Paul had said "IN THAT DAY"]) are SAYING "[hast redeemed] US..." and this is FOLLOWING (as I'd said) a "searching judgment" as indicated by the phrase "WAS FOUND" in 5:4 (as phrase ALSO used of Paul's arrest/trials and coming before their [the human] BEMA seat, in the latter part of Acts, as I've pointed out).
So, no. Not "AFTER" Rev5!
I would offer. The tribe of Dan is missing because Dan which mean Jehovah has judged me is used to represent the letter of the law .The spirit of judgement. It is described as falling back or backward because of following after false prophecy, the false gospel as the poison or serpents .
Genesis 49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
The letter of the law signified by Dan will not be part of the new order. Judas was removed from the 12 to represent the same "spirit of judgement" falling backward the twelve apostles with the 12 tribes to represent the new testament believe as the bride of Christ was used as a eye witness to falling back in Judgement.
John 18:5-6 King James Version (KJV) They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Again to signify the letter of the law the spirit of judgment as a cleansing fire that washes away the sin of the daughter of Zion the bride of Christ.
Isaiah 4:4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
Same kind of spirit of judgement of falling backward used when God mocked those with stammering lips. Those who mocked the word of God as a sign against them
It was fulfilled by the prophecy spoken of Joel at Pentecost. God speaking in all the tongues of the world. A sign of unbelief to mankind as a whole.
Isaiah 28:13But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Honestly I don't understand a lot of the things said in the book of Revelation. I do not completely understand what Jesus said. I know that some of what he was talking about has already happened in the years prior and culminating in the destruction of the temple in 70 ad.
I don't know when he will return, nor do I understand the millennial reign nor Satan being released to tempt man again and the end war. I know things look bad throughout the world. The modern world is engulfed in pernicious sin, violence, and plagues of all types. That there are evil hateful divisions among those that claim to believe, and even more so with those who despise those who believe.
I can only say with certainty that Christ said he would return and gather us to him, and that if it is not in my life time then upon my death I will be with him.
It's rather frightening for the generations to come if the Lord tarries much longer.
I agree with all those things. And those don't require tons of charts to explain like the dispensationalist belief system![]()
Matt 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 are the most misunderstood and conflated chapters in the bible IMO. But they do fulfill the Davidic Covenant.Honestly I don't understand a lot of the things said in the book of Revelation. I do not completely understand what Jesus said. I know that some of what he was talking about has already happened in the years prior and culminating in the destruction of the temple in 70 ad.
I don't know when he will return, nor do I understand the millennial reign nor Satan being released to tempt man again and the end war. I know things look bad throughout the world. The modern world is engulfed in pernicious sin, violence, and plagues of all types. That there are evil hateful divisions among those that claim to believe, and even more so with those who despise those who believe.
I can only say with certainty that Christ said he would return and gather us to him, and that if it is not in my life time then upon my death I will be with him.
It's rather frightening for the generations to come if the Lord tarries much longer.
If dispie is dispensationalist no. More like Amil. "No literal thousand years" using the signified language of parables or called hidden manna in Chapter 2 of Revelation.. ..The dispensationalist simply literalize the signified . Not sure why .But it appears to avoid walking by faith the unseen eternal .
You could say the whole book of Revelation is one continual parable .In the opening verse the kind of hermeneutics is declared as signified .
Revelation 1 King James Version (KJV)1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
That would likely be due to a literal understanding of the verses is possible. No reason to assume that God cannot raise up 144,000 to testify of Him in the GT. No reason to believe that God cannot build a building of the size and capacity described in the bible. There are many symbols but there are many literal things in the bible. So who resorts to symbolic before receiving the literal could have issues not fitting their theology just as you accuse others.I'm not sure about the particular verse you are referencing...seems like I read something about this verse indicating that symbolism is to be recognized in the book.
However, it's pretty obvious since the whole book is full of symbols.
It should not surprise anyone that 144,000 (12x12x1000) or 1000 years can refer to a symbolic meaning.
But, dispensationalists don't allow that when it doesn't fit their theology.
Another example of this relates to the cubic dimensions of the New Jerusalem. I am convicted it relates to the Most Holy Place, and indicates that God's manifest presence will be evidenced on the earth, similar to the Garden of Eden and the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle/Temple..but convincing most dispensationalists that this is the meaning (and not a literal cube jutting out beyond our atmosphere and covering a sixth of the earth) is a challenge![]()
Actually the Bible itself does not allow for such a cavalier handling of Scripture. God says what He means, and means what He says. While there may be metaphors in the Bible, when numbers are stated, then they must be accepted as numbers.It should not surprise anyone that 144,000 (12x12x1000) or 1000 years can refer to a symbolic meaning. But, dispensationalists don't allow that when it doesn't fit their theology.
I have been studying end-time events for the last few years, off and on.
The four major views of end-time events come from:
Amillennialism
Historical Premillennialism
Postmillennialism
Premillennial Dispensationalism
I have ordered them according to the ones I find the most credible.
Anyways, if you engage folks who hold the different theologies, you would likely find that Premillennial Dispensationalists are the most nasty, in terms of insults. In fact, one premillennial dispensationalist on this forum told me I was accursed for my position on this issue. The accusation of this individual is the primary reason why I am starting this thread.
The most common claim is that others believe in "replacement theology". This is a term that I find objectionable, because it implies that others don't think God has any purpose for Jewish individuals.
Well, this isn't true. There is only one people of God, Jews and Gentiles together. God doesn't have a separate plan for Jews, and a separate plan for Gentiles.
Scripture clearly teaches that the Church is one people, Jew and Gentile together. They have been united in Christ:
Ephesians 2:11-22 11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
(ESV Strong's)
Galatians 3:28-29 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
(ESV Strong's)
Additionally, the claim is that non-dispensationalists believe that God is a promise-breaker..not true.
The questions I would have about any promise God made to anyone are:
1. Was the promise unconditional, or was it conditional upon obedience, etc?
2. Was the promise fulfilled already in the past?
3. Is the promise fulfilled in Jesus?
4. Is the promise fulfilled exactly, or is it fulfilled in an even greater way?
No non-dispensationalist I know claims that God is a promise-breaker.
Let me give you an example on where I think dispensationalists don't view Scripture correctly.
Abraham and his descendants were promised the land of Canaan in the OT. Yet, in the NT, we find that Abraham is heir to the WHOLE WORLD.
Romans 4:13 13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
(ESV Strong's)
Dispensationalists are looking for Abraham's descendants to occupy the Promised Land, but not the whole world, when Scripture says that it is fulfilled in his inheritance of the whole world.
But how is that fulfilled? Jesus is his physical descendant, and all believers, Jew and Gentile, are united through faith with Jesus. Therefore, all of Abraham's descendants, both physical and spiritual, receive this inheritance as co-heirs with Christ.
I don't think the dispensationalist wants you to hear that, though..because they believe in Separation Theology. I don't know if this a term that has already been coined, but it amply describes their position. While they accuse others of being adherents to "Replacement Theology", they themselves believe in Separation Theology.
As I have studied the doctrine of union in Christ heavily, I believe that dispensationalism is abhorrent to God due to this artificial separation of God's people.
By the way, I will anticipate that those on this thread will accuse me of "spiritualizing" away Scripture....and tell me that I am using "allegory". In this attempt, they are simply denying clearly what Scripture says on this particular point. Additionally, there is no spiritualizing of Scripture to realize that God is fulfilling the promises to Abraham and his descendants (both physical and spiritual) through Abraham, who is Jesus' ancestor, and who all believers are joined to.
In fact, I think union with Christ is a sorely neglected topic in the Church, and this neglect has contributed to dispensational doctrine.
The sad thing is that within the USA, dispensationalism is the norm because it is taught by sects that have been heavily involved in evangelizing.
I would recommend the book A Case for Amillennialism by Kim Riddlebarger to understand how dispensational theology doesn't align with the way the apostles interpreted the Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament. It is very clear that dispensationalists are not in alignment with the apostles on this. If you examine John MacArthur on some of the NT texts regarding fulfillment of OT texts regarding Israel by the Church, you will find that he has to do gymnastics to read his dispensationalism into them.
I am attaching a chart that is handy for understanding how dispensationialism views the Millennium.
I hate to rain on a parade, but I think this whole thread got off on unsound footing. Since when was separation theology an excusive distinctive of dispensationalism in the first place? (It isn't).
"...you would likely find that Premillennial Dispensationalists are the most nasty, in terms of insults."
Good grief! How subjective can one get???? I can hardly believe my eyes. It is a sad day at CC when nutty statements like this get any traction whatsoever.
I'm not sure about the particular verse you are referencing...seems like I read something about this verse indicating that symbolism is to be recognized in the book.
However, it's pretty obvious since the whole book is full of symbols.
It should not surprise anyone that 144,000 (12x12x1000) or 1000 years can refer to a symbolic meaning.
But, dispensationalists don't allow that when it doesn't fit their theology.
Another example of this relates to the cubic dimensions of the New Jerusalem. I am convicted it relates to the Most Holy Place, and indicates that God's manifest presence will be evidenced on the earth, similar to the Garden of Eden and the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle/Temple..but convincing most dispensationalists that this is the meaning (and not a literal cube jutting out beyond our atmosphere and covering a sixth of the earth) is a challenge![]()
More bafflegab. Does the word "concise" mean anything to you? What about "brevity"? "Coherent" perhaps?It would appear that dispensationalists must make the signified language of revelation to no effect in order to walk by sight seeking after wonderments as a false source of faith a living hope in what the eyes see .
More bafflegab. Does the word "concise" mean anything to you? What about "brevity"? "Coherent" perhaps?
You really need to take a class in basic English. So much of your contribution on this site is essentially meaningless (and ignored by most) because of your consistently poor grammar and sentence structure. I don't tell you this to criticize you personally, but to encourage you to better yourself, so that you may be a blessing to others.