Creative Christianity

Popular Methods of altering prophecy:

I. Altering Translations

II. Telescopic Time Compression

III. Dual Fulfillment

IV. Creative Prophecy: We create our own!
 
 

Introduction:
In our attempt to place the second coming of our Lord in OUR future, rather than the generation of the Apostles, are we creatively altering the Bible to suit our own preference?

Most Christians believe Christ is coming soon, physically and visible to all. Few have considered the possibility that He has already returned. But Jesus told His disciples that He would return in their generation. This apparent contradiction is often explained by picking a meaning for "generation" that is not quite what we expect. 

For example, suppose Jesus meant the entire Jewish race, or perhaps he meant the modern nation of Israel. This would clear up the problem all right, but can we feel comfortable taking such liberties with scripture? How do we know He has not already returned unless a genuine search of history is made? 

New evidence is turning up that Jesus did indeed return for His elect, in power and glory during the first century. But many Christians are so used to hearing and believing that "Christ is coming again" that is seems heretical to suggest otherwise. 

In our attempt to place the second coming of our Lord in OUR future, rather than the generation of the Apostles, are we creatively altering the Bible to suit our own preference? Here are some other ways used to creatively alter the intended meaning of prophecy to predict the imminent return of the Lord in OUR generation, rather than in the generation of the Apostles. Examples: 

Popular Methods of altering prophecy:
 

I. Altering Translations

Many words in Hebrew and Greek mean one thing when translated from a first century perspective, but mean something quite different from a modern viewpoint. This opens up the possibility of creative Christianity to make Scripture accommodate our design for a future "end time." Examples: 

a. Inhabited Earth/ Habitable Earth: The first century definition was generally the Roman Empire. Many Bibles translate these words as "world." Then we apply our 20th century global definition to "world." These words, which had clear meaning to the ancients, commonly assume new anachronistic meanings which suit OUR design for future prophecy.

b. Generation: Though translators for various Bible versions have no difficulty with this word, many of us like to redefine this word into "race" or "progeny." When verses take on clear first century fulfillment, we often redefine them to fit OUR design for a future "end time." For example, Jesus said to His disciples, "...this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." (Mt.24:34) We prefer to redefine "generation" to "race" or "progeny" so that we believe a "race of people" will not pass away until all things take place. This redefinition fits well into OUR design for a future end time.

c. Temple: The Hebrew text in Daniel 9:27 does not include the word "temple." This subtle alteration conveniently allows people to read some things into the Bible that are not there. "On the wing of abomination comes one who makes desolate" is often written "on the wing of the temple comes one who makes desolate." An unsuspecting reader can more easily read into this verse an Antichrist who enters the temple and makes it desolate. This would then corroborate OUR design for a future tribulation. Many words in Hebrew and Greek mean one thing when translated from a first century perspective, but mean something quite different from a modern viewpoint. This opens up the possibility of creative Christianity to make Scripture accommodate our design for a future "end time." Examples: 

In any course of sequential historical events, a "time gap" is creatively inserted, so as to project end time events into OUR future. Examples: 

a. Daniel 9:24: One of these "time gaps," which we call the church age, is inserted between Daniel's 69th and 70th week, projecting the tribulation into OUR future.

b. Mt.24, Mk.13, Lk.21: Jesus predicted that after the destruction of the temple, which actually occurred in A.D. 70, would come a series of seemingly contiguous events signaling His return. To explain a 2000 year gap, necessitated by the futurist viewpoint, imagery of distant mountains is often used. Looking telescopically at a pair of mountain ranges, separated by a valley (time gap), the distant peaks (events) appear as close as the near ones. This is a picturesque way of fitting Jesus' predictions to the futurist theory. But why would Jesus hide the valley of time from His trusting disciples?

Prophecies fulfilled in ancient times are predicted to occur again in the end times. This theory of dual fulfillment overcomes the objection that this prophecy is known to have been fulfilled in the past. Examples: 

a. Jesus said the temple buildings would be torn down, Jerusalem would be laid desolate, and this would be a time of great distress (Mt.24, Mk.13, Lk.21). Though this prophecy was entirely fulfilled in A.D. 70, it is claimed this same prophecy has dual application, with a second fulfillment yet to come in OUR future. 

b. Old Testament pre-captivity and captivity prophecies predict the Lord would gather His people, banished to live in exile among all the nations, back to their promised land. These prophecies were entirely fulfilled after the seventy years of Babylonian captivity which ended in 538 B.C. But again it is claimed there is a second fulfillment coming . The current immigration of Jewish people back to the land of Israel is thus taken to be a sign of the Lords imminent return.

When OUR view of end time prophecy is not entirely described by the Bible, we are tempted to creatively fill in details to fit OUR design for a future tribulation and millennium. For example: 

a. The Bible does not mention a fourth temple. But popular tribulation theory requires that a temple be in place before the Lord returns. Perhaps this explains the persistent rumors that building preparations are under way in Israel for a fourth temple.

b. There are two places, in Mt.16:27,28 and in Mt. 24:30, where Jesus said He would return with His angles to gather His elect. Most readers would take these verses as referring to the same event. However, in the first passage Jesus mentioned that some of those standing before Him would not die until He returned. In the second passage this is not mentioned. 

Therefore, it becomes possible to postulate that Jesus was predicting two separate events. Mt.16:27,28 is commonly explained as referring to the transfiguration (Mt.17) which occurred while the Apostles were alive. Then Mt.24:30 may be creatively altered to mean a second coming in OUR generation.

c. No biblical prophecy predicts a future millennium where God rules the world from His temple. The only reference to the "thousand years" is in Revelation 20, and it doesn't say this at all! Our belief in the millennium is creative Christianity. We have created OUR design for the millennium by arbitrarily mixing the thousand years of Revelation 20 with Old Testament pre-captivity and captivity prophecies, and then tossing in some "Kingdom of God" concepts.

A Christian Dilemma: time statements: Jesus taught that he would return a second time in the first century. Consequently, His disciples believed and preached He would return again in their generation. Although the first Christians were not informed of the day and hour of the Lord's return, Jesus provided a time frame for His second coming. See A Christian Dilemma: time statements for a partial list of these time statements. 

A Visible Second Coming: This list of New Testament verses shows consistent biblical intent that first century Christians would live to see both a literal and visible return of Christ to gather His elect. 

PROPHECY PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time.  Read the historic fulfillment of prophecy.

The Seven Year Tribulation Theory: True or False? A reevaluation of the Seven Year Tribulation Theory: Numerous difficulties pose questions to its credibility. 

Bible Prophecy: Faulty Assumptions Faulty assumptions distort accurate assessment of Bible prophecy. Have you made any faulty assumptions? Check out this list! 

Tough Questions for Tough Christians If Jesus preached He would return a second time in the first century, perhaps we should consider He was right. 

Link to other preterist pages The Preterist Archive 

PROPHECY PARADOX: The Case for a First Century End Time by L.Schuldt can be ordered through AMAZON.COM or through the publisher. This is the second revised edition of A.D. 79, a Prophecy Paradox.