“Preterism is an ideology held by most of the denominational/institutional churches so it is an important doctrine to understand.
Preterism is an interpretative approach to biblical prophecy that suggests that many, if not all, of the prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled in the past. The term “preterism” comes from the Latin word “praeter,” which means “past” or “beyond.” This perspective contrasts with futurism, which interprets prophecies as yet to be fulfilled in the future.
There are different forms of preterism, but generally, preterists argue that the majority of the prophecies found in the Bible, particularly in books like Daniel and Revelation, were fulfilled in the events of the first century AD, often centered around the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 AD. They believe that these events were the culmination of God’s judgment on Israel for rejecting Jesus as the Messiah.
Key points of preterist interpretation may include:
- Historical Fulfillment: Preterists often see the events prophesied in the Bible as having been fulfilled in the historical events of the first century, including the Jewish-Roman War and the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
- Symbolic Language: Preterists may interpret the symbolic language in prophetic books, such as Daniel and Revelation, as describing real historical events using symbolic and apocalyptic language rather than predicting distant future events.
- Imminence: Preterism often emphasizes the idea of imminence, suggesting that the return of Christ and the fulfillment of prophecies were expected to happen in the near future from the perspective of the biblical writers.
- Partial Preterism vs. Full Preterism: There are variations within preterism. Partial preterists believe that some prophecies were fulfilled in the past, but that there are still future events to be realized (such as a final judgment). Full preterists, on the other hand, argue that all biblical prophecies, including the second coming of Christ, have already taken place.
Dr Brock does a great job of explaining these Scriptures. The Key Scripture for most of the End Times prophecies is Deuteronomy 32: The Song of Moses uses the term: “this generation” several times to describe future generations. The ultimate “Day of the Lord” is when Jesus returns to Earth to bring righteousness and restoration to Israel.