There might indeed be evidence that Acts 1:8 was fulfilled - theologically speaking - by the end of Acts. The Holy Spirit came on them at Pentecost, the gospel was declared in Jerusalem and then Judea and Samaria, and before long even to Rome - the heart of the empire that stretched out to the ends of the earth. That is, the known world.
No doubt, the Gospel reached the "world" encompassing the writers of the Scriptures, the Roman Empire and beyond. That isn't an issue, unless you wish to say the Gospel mission was *completed* by the fall of Rome in 476 AD?
Obviously, that wouldn't be true. The Gospel continued to be preached after the fall of Rome, and continuing to the present day. All of this is encompassed in Jesus' Great Commission.
Personally I think that means since the end of the events in Acts - also maybe including the writing of the last book of the New Testament written - the Lord could have returned. Everything has been done in Jesus. There are no more 'events' to worry about - the Lord could return in 3 seconds or 30,000 years - we just don't know.
That is not just an Amil view, but more, a Preterist view, which sees all things fulfilled, prophetically, in the early centuries of the Church. Clearly, history beyond the Roman Empire continued the work of the Gospel, and constituted the continuation of prophetic fulfillment.
And here we go again. First of all, note how many 'futurist' end times debates break out not just between Amils - but between the thousands of different kinds of futurist interpretation.
This is a big mistake. One cannot dismiss a major eschatological school like "Futurism" simply by pointing out that futurists interpret various individual prophecies differently. That's true of *all* schools of eschatological interpretation.
It isn't just the nature of Futurism to interpret prophecies differently. Futurists simply interpret individual prophecies differently with a futurist bent. Preterists view individual prophecies differently with a Preterist bent. But that doesn't mean their school is not consistently Preterist, nor does a variety of opinions render Preterism illegitimate. The truth of a major school consists of its overarching positions, and not smaller, individual opinions.
THAT there are so many ten thousand times ten thousand futurist interpretations has me wondering why futurists bother? Why can't they see that the whole endeavour is utterly futile? But here are the main reasons I'm Amil - and see Revelation as a sermon encouraging us to keep going NOW - between Jesus Resurrection and his Return. It just fits so much better with the whole New Testament - and it avoids any of the false psychological smugness or security I described in the opening post.
Oversimplifying prophecy and disposing of individual distinctions, in time and in interpretation, does not validate such a position. Dumbing down future prophecy to simple "moral lessons" is what liberals have done forever, in the attempt to get rid of the "problem" of the supernatural!
Here we go - once again:-
John indicates 4 times in Chapter 1 of Revelation that 'these things' he's discussing will start soon - and that the whole book is probably about the Roman persecution of the church.
1. "to show his servants what must soon take place"
2. " blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it" - how could the early church obey something that was addressed to Christians 2000 years later?
3. "because the time is near."
Yes, the Revelation was addressed to John's time, but it was also addressed to the time when Dan 7 would be fulfilled. There is a clear connection, in John's mind, between Rev 13 and Dan 7, involving the 3.5 years of Antichristian rule.
4. he SHARES in their tribulation! - John was already in jail because of Rome.
Basically, if Revelation is some sort of timetable that only the last generation will understand:-
- what good has it been for the church for the last 2000 years?
- Why can't anyone agree on this end-times timetable? ;-) Why is it so vague when Jesus and his death and resurrection and the epistles about him are mostly fairly clear?
What was spoken by Jesus to the early Jewish believers in the Olivet Discourse was primarily for the Jews while the Law was still in play. But it became a model for Christian nations to follow, since they are patterned after Israel.
What the early Christians went through in Rome also became an example for future Christians to be forewarned about. All of this is encompassed in Jesus' description of the NT era, in which Christians would be hated and persecuted, all the while they continue to prosper in the ways of Christ.
- Compare that to Amillennials that see it as a book that neatly describes the Roman persecution of the church, Roman temptation to Christians of money wealth and empire, and Roman appeal to trusting in State security rather than God's eternal security. In this case, Revelation has been a relevant warning and encouragement to all Christians in all societies for the last 2000 years. In fact, Christians I know of who have been persecuted in Muslim countries read it this way and laugh at the idea John is talking about a future suffering. They think it silly that John would write to his suffering generation and basically say "You think you've got it bad - wait till you see what happens in 2000 years!"
What you should recognize is that when the Roman experience is being addressed by Jesus, both in the Gospels and in the Revelation, there is an equation between that and the 4th Beast of Dan 7. And that Beast encompasses the entire NT age, and not just the ancient Roman Empire.
The 4th Beast continues until Christ's Kingdom comes. And we know that because the Roman Empire ultimately became European Civilization. Following the fall of Rome in 476 AD, the Roman Empire continued in the East, in the Byzantine Empire. And later, in the West the Roman Empire was revived in the Holy Roman Empire.
You see, the 4th Beast, in accordance with prophecy, continues all the way up until the Antichrist appears, the Man of Sin, as Paul called him. John called him the Antichrist, because in Dan 7 this individual king consolidates an empire of 10 states who opposes God and massacres the saints.
Everything we saw happen in ancient Rome to Christians, and everything we see happening today in European Civilization, continues to be in fulfillment of what Jesus said about the ancient Roman Empire. It is the 4th Beast destined to be reconsolidated as a 10 state empire, consisting of 7 leaders and Antichrist being the 8th, ruling over them all.
Why is this important? It is because, as John noted, this pattern exists in all ages. Christians in all generations are rejected by unbelievers, and are, in some sense, persecuted. We all have to be aware that as much as our religion grows, it is not really popular in the hearts of many. They wish for its destruction.
And so, we are all forewarned about the perils in this age. And that's why the endtime scenario was given to us, to know the end of all these things, and to encourage us to endure in all generations. In a sense, then, I would agree with you. The lessons learned for all generations are more than specific application to either the ancient times or to future times. They are important in all times!
- The return of Christ at the end isn't a timetable of events but gospel vision and encouragement - it's a sermon reminding us to keep going no matter what happens. It even describes the return of Jesus in judgement from 3 different points of view - repeating the same one magnificent event from 3 camera-views - none of which work in chronological order.
- Phd in Ancient History, theologian and retired Sydney Anglican Bishop Dr Paul Barnett explains further in "Apocalypse Now and Then". https://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-now-then-reading-Revelation/dp/0949108421
- I recommend learning Amil theology as it will free modern Christians from the endless fretting over which credit card or computer chip might be the 'mark of the beast' and being diverted by endless speculation over geopolitical matters and how they fit into a 'Revelation timetable'. Amil will help rather focus them on living for Christ each day and being more compassionate in their local affairs and realistic in their politics.
It's true that we shouldn't focus so much on time tables. But clearly, we should know the times in which we live, to know how God is leading us, and to know what we are to watch out for. When Jesus told his disciples to be alert, he was not alerting them to an imminent Rapture, but rather, to the perils of false Christs, who would mislead them and render them unprepared for problems and troubles.
I do agree that Futurists get carried away with questions like, What is 666?, and Who is the Antichrist? But on the same token, these are good questions, if we can get past the hyperventilation and the sensationalism.
Some of this is not designed for pure speculation, but may have had a real practical application. For example, 666 may have been a simple designation of a Roman leader, since the first known leader of Rome had a name that added up to 666. John wanted Christians to know that the Roman Empire, of which he was a prisoner, was part of the prophesied 4th Beast of Dan 7. They were being told, cryptically, to endure through these tough times, which had been forecast.
In Rev 17, John uses two puzzles, in regard to this Empire of 7 kings to display the fact that this Kingdom is a continuation of the Kingdom of ancient Rome. The 6th king symbolically represents a succession of kingdoms, from Egypt to Rome, to be followed by the 7th, a reconsolidated empire with 7 kings.
The 2nd riddle is that the 7 kings symbolically represent 7 hills, which everybody knew in that time to be Rome. Only John could not outright identify Rome, since he was its prisoner.
All of this had practical value for the ancient Church, and still holds value for us today, as we deal with the problems of European Civilization, which is in great spiritual decline. This isn't a game of puzzle solving, not a game of speculation. Rather, this is a real-world need to recognize and to deal with real problems in our time, just as it has been in all times.
Clearly, we need to see the world today through spiritual eyes. And Futurism is not only true, in my thinking, but also needful in helping us recognize where we are in history.
But that does not mean that pretrib is false.
