This website hosts a number of Bible essays that attest to the Preterist Viewpoint (viz., that the fulfillment of all Bible prophecy was completed with God's judgment upon Jerusalem at the hand of the Roman army in AD 70). There are, of course, any number of objections to the Preterist hermeneutic, but with critical examination, the objections will each be found to rely on a combination of faulty interpretation, faulty reasoning, and a failure to allow scripture to interpret scripture. This interpretation follows from the main elements of Daniel's prophecies as well as the types involved in Israel's yearly festivals--the judgment in AD 70 being the antitype to the last festival--the festival of the ingathering (or harvest) at the end of the year. It follows from the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ concerning the reaping at the end of the age (Matthew 13:39 NKJV). [Click on the respective hyperlinks to download any of the writings.]
Essay 00a Cover & Spine Label
https://tinyurl.com/scu32ptp - [pdf]
Essay 00b Table of Contents
https://tinyurl.com/bdzkcr6w - [pdf]
Essay 00c Foreword
https://tinyurl.com/5dpthsph - [pdf]
Essay 00d Preface
https://tinyurl.com/3zf29ebk - [pdf]
Essay 00e Introduction
https://tinyurl.com/2wrhcezu - [pdf]
Essay 01 Some Things I’ve Learned and How I Learned Them
http://tinyurl.com/zavzucsn - [pdf]
This essay tells about some of the hindrances we often face in acquiring new understanding. Those hindrances often effectively block our ability to learn. The essay also discusses how our culture can be detrimental to our well-being when we are not sufficiently aware of the forces at work. Finally, the essay addresses some of the psychological factors at work that often cause us to fall into patterns that hold us back.
Essay 02 Why I Am A Theist
http://tinyurl.com/yckp7uk7 - [pdf]
This essay explains the key reasons I am a theist rather than either an atheist or an agnostic. It is composed of two parts. The first part explains the philosophical and scientific basis for my belief. The second part provides additional rationale based on evidence from the Bible that seems convincing to me. Such biblical support would, of course, be valid only to the extent that there is sufficient evidence to support the conclusions reached. However, that would be true for the philosophical and scientific part as well, would it not?
03 End of the Age
https://tinyurl.com/326zkkb5 - [pdf]
This essay discusses highlights from "Establishing God's Eternal Kingdom" by focusing upon some very key principles to keep in mind when reading Daniel, the Olivet Discourses, and John's Revelation. For example, they each discuss the same thing, the end of the age; that is, the end of the Jewish Old Covenant epoch or economy. They each pertain primarily to things that were imminent upon the Jewish people of the first century. It explains why John must have written his Revelation before 67 A.D. and how to interpret the riddle given in Revelation 17.
Essay 04 Failure of Futurist Eschatology
http;//tinyurl.com/bd53fr39 - [pdf]
The tenets of futurism derive mainly from a culture that makes false assumptions about language and about doctrines. All the while the culture defends itself and its assumptions through entrenched institutional norms. Those norms actually oppose scriptural admonitions.
Essay 05 The Future of Israel
http://tinyurl.com/2hfb6pjc - [pdf]
This essay is the result of a study undertaken several years ago to respond to several popular works that advance the idea that the Scriptures are to be literally interpreted and that the Lord Jesus Christ will one day return to the earth and rule over a restored nation of Israel—all in a literal sense. This view is advocated by J. Dwight Pentecost in his book entitled "Things to Come" (a reprint of his doctoral dissertation), by Tim LaHaye in his "Left Behind" series of books, by Hal Lindsey in his earlier work, "Late Great Planet Earth," and by many others.
Essay 06 Establishing God's Eternal Kingdom
http://tinyurl.com/4nya5mf8 - [pdf]
This essay examines the prophecies of Daniel, the Olivet discourses of the Lord Jesus, and John's Revelation and shows that the promised kingdom that Christ was to reign over has already been established.
Essay 07 The New Heaven And The New Earth
http://tinyurl.com/5n93ds9z - [pdf]
This essay discusses how heaven and earth relate to the subject being addressed in the book of Revelation as well as in the Olivet Discourse. Doing this requires that one considers such things as Israel’s culture as embodied in the Mosaic Covenant as well as how both the Mosaic Covenant and cosmology play a part in Israel’s world view. The subject suggested by the title of this essay was a part of Isaiah’s prophecy to Israel as well as our Lord Jesus’ Olivet Discourse pertaining to the future course of world events.
Essay 08 The Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ
https://tinyurl.com/288tdjaz - [pdf]
This essay discusses the second coming of Jesus and associated events such as the end of the age, the resurrection, the end of death, and how each is related. It examines how language is misused in interpreting Scripture. It shows how the resurrection of the dead fulfills 'the hope of Israel' and for which the Apostle Paul was bound in chains. Understanding the resurrection correctly requires that death, likewise, is understood correctly. The essay discusses death, resurrection, the end of the age, and how each of these connects with the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Scriptures often connect things that cannot be seen with things that can be seen, and thus uses that which is observable by the eye to validate that which can't be seen by the eye. However, Scripture declares the unseen to be more significant. "We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2nd Corinthians 4:18)
Essay 09 Tongues Are A Sign
http://tinyurl.com/7y32xe7k - [pdf]
The miraculous gift of tongues seems to be one of those Bible topics that exhibit a wide degree of difference in understanding among professed Christians. This study looks at what the Bible teaches about tongues while addressing some of the many errors commonly made. For example, were the tongues of Pentecost different from the tongues experienced by the church at Corinth? What was the purpose of tongues to begin with? Have tongues ceased as some advocate and as others deny? I explore all of these questions and more.
Essay 10 Till We All Come to the Unity of the Faith
https://tinyurl.com/yj89ats8 - [pdf]
This paper examines what the Scriptures teach regarding the transitional gifts mentioned in 1st Corinthians 12:28 and those mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, the specified conditions that would result in the cessation of that which is partial, and the change that would result. The paper addresses the change from the types and shadows of the Old Covenant to the realities of the New Covenant.
Essay 11 The New Covenant
https://tinyurl.com/ssc527uh - [pdf]
Understanding the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah and the subsequent fulfillment of that prophecy requires that several related ideas be connected that may at first glance appear unconnected. However, it is through making those connections that actually provides the framework for understanding precisely how and when the fulfillment of the New Covenant occurs as well as the nature of the New Covenant.
Essay 12 On Following Traditions
https://tinyurl.com/7scfdk22 - [pdf]
From the earliest days of Christianity tradition has opposed the open examination of evidence that questions any part of that tradition. Traced back far enough traditions are found to represent the lengthened shadow of one or more charismatic individuals from the past. Such traditions have been destructive of fundamental Christian teachings. This essay examines the many ways traditions have distorted the faith and ethics of many who profess belief in God and in His revelation to mankind through God’s written Word.
Essay 13 Bible Teaching on Divorce
http://tinyurl.com/527894y8 - [pdf]
Many believe sexual infidelity to be the only scriptural reason a person may divorce their spouse. This study examines what the Bible teaches regarding divorce. It looks very carefully at those passages of Scripture that are often cited as well as others that have a bearing upon how the teaching of the Bible on divorce should be understood. The study includes some introductory observations regarding the nature of scriptural communication and the problem of determining the proper interpretation.
Essay 14 I Suffer Not a Woman to Speak
http://tinyurl.com/h3b6wwhs - [pdf]
Many see in two Bible passages (1st Corinthians 14 and 1st Timothy 2) sufficient cause to restrict the ministry of women, some even going so far as to believe that it is improper for women even to talk in a Christian assembly. This study examines those Scripture passages and shows that neither passage, either individually or collectively, actually teach such a doctrine. Indeed, it is shown that quite the opposite is true.
Essay 15 On Having Authority on Her Head
http://tinyurl.com/2svsxejb - [pdf]
This essay explains why the common interpretation of 1st Corinthians 11:10 is not actually what the Scriptures teach, but that the actual meaning is quite the opposite to that usually attributed to it.
Essay 16 Scriptures Improperly Understood
http://tinyurl.com/2pht2jdr - [pdf]
This essay cites over a dozen different passages of Scripture that are often misunderstood and misused for a variety of purposes. Each Scripture passage is cited with an explanation as to the actual meaning of the passage.
Essay 17 Eternal Destiny of Not Accountable
http://tinyurl.com/hkhykp7e - [pdf]
This essay examines what the Scriptures teach regarding the eternal destiny of the unborn, those who die perhaps before becoming intellectually developed, and those whose mental facilities never developed normally. How should we think about the eternal destiny of such individuals? Is there any comfort in the Scriptures for those who have experienced an abortion? Has God made provision for the eternal destiny of those who have or had no capacity for responding to the light of God? This paper examines some of the issues associated with these questions.
Essay 18 Who Is A Christian
http://tinyurl.com/yckkzsfv - [pdf]
This essay discusses problems associated with our terminology and the use of the word "Christian." Answering the question "Who is a Christian?" today is much different than it would have been for people in the first century of the Christian era. Unlike the situation in the first century, answering the question today, for many people, requires making a value judgment.
Essay 19 Summation of Interpretation Principles
https://tinyurl.com/4mfjymfx (pdf)
This essay completes the series of Bible essays by examining some of the criticisms received from others and by explaining why the offered rebuttals themselves are based on faulty assumptions and fallacious reasoning. Additionally, some of the more significant doctrines previously addressed in prior essays are further examined to better illuminate important facets of those doctrines.
OTHER ESSAYS
Essay 29 Examination of Dispensational Teaching (Newsletter Format)
https://tinyurl.com/59j2e34j - [pdf]
This essay explains why dispensationalism as a scheme of Bible interpretation is based upon false premises and is quite easily shown to be so.
31 HHS Class of 1959 Reunion After Dinner Talk
https://tinyurl.com/yp6z6z34 - [pdf]
This is a transcription of the after dinner talk given at the occasion of the Handley High School Class of 1959's 50th Anniversary Reunion.
Other Writings Worth Considering
Bernard, Thomas Dehany - Progress of Doctrine in the NT, 1873 3rd Edition (not highlighted).pdf http://tinyurl.com/jpxb5vx~~~~~
Mauro, Philip - The Gospel of the Kingdom, 1927, not-highlighted.pdf http://tinyurl.com/hlk65fy~~~~~
Mauro, Philip - The Hope of Israel, What Is It, 1929, not highlighted.pdf http://tinyurl.com/hey7ay9~~~~~
Mauro, Philip - Seventy Weeks of Daniel, 1921, Revised 1944, not highlighted.pdf http://tinyurl.com/hxwkrk7~~~~~
Terry, Milton S - Biblical Hermeneutics, A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments, 2nd Ed.pdf http://tinyurl.com/hybm2sa~~~~~
Cascio, Ken - The Christian Church Distorted and Deformed.pdf http://tinyurl.com/js969f5~~~~~
Cascio, Ken - The Eldership Cookbook.pdf http://tinyurl.com/zbfg22r~~~~~
Thoughts to Ponder
"If suppression of free discussion is necessary in order to cause an opinion to be believed, that in itself is evidence that the rational grounds in favor of the opinion are inadequate, for if they were adequate free discussion would be the best way of making the opinion prevail." Bertrand Russell~~~~~
"The scriptural admonition to 'prove all things' (1st Thess. 5:21) has no meaning when an institutional view may not be questioned. 'Through a multitude of counselors there is safety' (Prov. 11:14; 24:6) has no meaning when an authority figure provides the only acceptable answer. There is no need for a multitude when the only allowed counsel comes from an institutional authority figure." David McConnell~~~~~________________________
You may email me at; davidmc41@gmail.com
You have my best wishes!
google-site-verification: googleb192105ac20ef7ba.html