I have a Christian friend who is very much "into prophecy," by which she means equating current events with John's vision of the Apocalypse, as recorded in the last book of the NT. Today she was mentioning the one year/one day method of interpreting, which by simple arithmetic had the world ending about a century ago and by complicated arithmentic, could be any day now.
I went through this in 1975-77, and I admit I grow weary. I have to keep reminding myself that when the prophesied return does happen - and it is one of the central doctrines of the faith that it will - there will be a group of enthusiasts who misinterpreted the Bible but correctly predicted the impending end by accident. They will laugh at themselves in heaven, however seriously they take themselves here, recognizing that they got the right answer by dumb luck. But for the rest of us, it pays to remember that one of these groups will be right.
But really, shouldn't we be living every day as if it was our last?
ReplyDeleteNo one knows when the last day will come so isn't it best to be ready to meet our maker every day?
No one has any idea when the world will end... but I know that my life is short and that I am not promised tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI understand. I went through it as well, although I started a bit earlier in the late 60s with JVI's Coming War With Russia. By the late 70s I had pretty much become convinced that it wasn't only the specific application that was faulty, it was the method itself.
ReplyDeleteStill, it took another decade before I "came out of my closet" and converted to a full preterist position. Have you ever done any serious reading about that understanding of Scripture? If nothing else, it's interesting reading.
"...it is one of the central doctrines of the faith that it will..." You sure?
"...one of these groups will be right." You sure?
Anyhow, I enjoy your blog. Keep it up.
Waidmann
"Coming again" is in the creeds, and thus I regard it as central. I'll check out "preterists," however. I know it only as a theological term.
ReplyDeleteYes. I had trouble with that as well. I'm Reformed (mostly), and still regard the WCF as the system that best explains what Scripture teaches. But still, it's the Scriptures which are inspired, not the Confessions or Creeds.
ReplyDeleteBTW, when you do check out "preterists" or "preterism", please don't go to a Dispensationalist website. All you'll get there is a strawman of what preterism is that's easy to rip apart and not very accurate. Enjoy your studies.
Waidmann
Back in the mid '70s, millenialism was sweeping the campus where my father-in-law taught. At his suggestion I checked out "The Late Great Planet Earth". I opened it at random, and started reading about the supposed tie-in between prophecy and history. His linkup was built around the statement that WWI marked the end of 100 years of peace. This is so far from accurate that I am inclined to presume that all millenialists are uneducated.
ReplyDeleteAs for living each day as if it is your last, this is a great way to wind up impoverished in your old age.
Isaac Newton, the famed alchemist, Bible scholar, and apple observer, had predicted the Second Coming would occur in 1948, "four years after the end of the tribulations of the Jews".
ReplyDeleteSpooky.
triticale--As for living each day as if it is your last, this is a great way to wind up impoverished in your old age.
ReplyDeleteHa Ha...well I meant that as 'spiritually' being "ready" every day as if it was our last so one wouldn't be impoverished