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It is impossible to argue against Christ’s two advents at this late date. Christ is wounded, and Israel is scattered at the first advent and gathered into the barn upon his future return, confirming premillennialism and historicism. In an article titled Consistent Biblical Futurism Thomas Ice holds such contradictions when he writes,
Like all futurists, Ice fails to recognize that this age was prophesied and is the source of Christ’s parables. In analyzing preterism, we’ve given ample evidence Christ came to punish the shepherds and scatter the sheep, not to restore the kingdom of Israel. The seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24 are determined as an example of regarding events near but distant in cryptic language; even so, they have a determined end at the first advent and not beyond.
Futurists assert the seventy weeks are protracted because the “purpose” hasn’t been fulfilled. The purpose was to “finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). The problem with the futurists’ imagination is that, as a whole, the Jewish people were never ordained to accept the Messiah, as we’ve already witnessed concerning the prophesied rejection of the cornerstone and the scattering of the sheep in the OT. In Romans 9:6, Paul stated, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel”. Paul means that only the elect are predestined to accept Christ, also affirmed in Romans 11. As the scripture declares, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 20:16, 22:14). The point is that at any specific time in history, not all people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are saved. The tares grow alongside the good seeds. Only a chosen few, the elect, were preserved at the first advent. And with that chosen few, the purposes of the seventy weeks were fulfilled. When Christ remitted sin at the cross, all the transgressions of the elect were forgiven and ended in Christ. Christ made a complete reconciliation for the iniquity of the elect, which doesn’t have to be repeated when he returns. Christ established everlasting righteousness for the elect, which doesn’t have to be duplicated when he returns. Christ’s redemption sealed the prophecy and anointed the heavenly sanctuary when he ascended to the Father’s right hand, which doesn’t have to be accomplished again upon his return. Christ fully accomplished the purposes of the seventy weeks at the first advent.
The futurist dogmas expose free will or theological libertarianism. They take Paul’s declaration that “all Israel shall be saved” when the fullness of the Gentiles is accomplished in Romans 11:25-26 as if God compels or exerts His influence over the people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at Christ’s return. But what prevented Him from making them accept Christ at the first advent? What they are asserting is theological libertarianism at the first advent and determinism at the second; it can’t be both. The prophecies that Christ would come to punish the shepherds and scatter the sheep vindicate theological determinism and destroy the futurist and preterist dogmas based on libertarianism. The seventy weeks have a determined end at the first advent and not beyond.
[1] Thomas Ice, "Consistent Biblical Futurism (Part 4)," Pre-Trib Research Center, Consistent Biblical Futurism (Part 4) - by Thomas Ice - The Pre-Trib Research Center
When one looks at the New Testament Epistles for specific prophecy relating to the current church age, there is virtually nothing to be found. The church age is not a time of specific prophetic fulfillment and does not have a particular prophetic countdown or timetable, as does Israel and her 70 weeks of years prophecy (Dan. 9:24-27).[1]
Like all futurists, Ice fails to recognize that this age was prophesied and is the source of Christ’s parables. In analyzing preterism, we’ve given ample evidence Christ came to punish the shepherds and scatter the sheep, not to restore the kingdom of Israel. The seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24 are determined as an example of regarding events near but distant in cryptic language; even so, they have a determined end at the first advent and not beyond.
Futurists assert the seventy weeks are protracted because the “purpose” hasn’t been fulfilled. The purpose was to “finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). The problem with the futurists’ imagination is that, as a whole, the Jewish people were never ordained to accept the Messiah, as we’ve already witnessed concerning the prophesied rejection of the cornerstone and the scattering of the sheep in the OT. In Romans 9:6, Paul stated, “For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel”. Paul means that only the elect are predestined to accept Christ, also affirmed in Romans 11. As the scripture declares, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 20:16, 22:14). The point is that at any specific time in history, not all people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are saved. The tares grow alongside the good seeds. Only a chosen few, the elect, were preserved at the first advent. And with that chosen few, the purposes of the seventy weeks were fulfilled. When Christ remitted sin at the cross, all the transgressions of the elect were forgiven and ended in Christ. Christ made a complete reconciliation for the iniquity of the elect, which doesn’t have to be repeated when he returns. Christ established everlasting righteousness for the elect, which doesn’t have to be duplicated when he returns. Christ’s redemption sealed the prophecy and anointed the heavenly sanctuary when he ascended to the Father’s right hand, which doesn’t have to be accomplished again upon his return. Christ fully accomplished the purposes of the seventy weeks at the first advent.
The futurist dogmas expose free will or theological libertarianism. They take Paul’s declaration that “all Israel shall be saved” when the fullness of the Gentiles is accomplished in Romans 11:25-26 as if God compels or exerts His influence over the people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at Christ’s return. But what prevented Him from making them accept Christ at the first advent? What they are asserting is theological libertarianism at the first advent and determinism at the second; it can’t be both. The prophecies that Christ would come to punish the shepherds and scatter the sheep vindicate theological determinism and destroy the futurist and preterist dogmas based on libertarianism. The seventy weeks have a determined end at the first advent and not beyond.
[1] Thomas Ice, "Consistent Biblical Futurism (Part 4)," Pre-Trib Research Center, Consistent Biblical Futurism (Part 4) - by Thomas Ice - The Pre-Trib Research Center
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