TEN FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF A YET FUTURE SECOND COMING.
The New Testament is a 1st century document. However the Yet Future view applies it to the 21st century. How does it do that?? How do we get an a second coming from a 2000 year old book? Following is the essential reasoning. It :-
1. begins from an assumption that only literal language is biblical,
2. conjectures a delay of 2000 years that can't be proven,
3. implies a 2000 year gap that can't be observed,
4. is based on 2000 year time facts that don't exist,
5. excites a 2000 year expectation that can't be falsified- eg. 'He will come in future because He hasn't returned so far.'
6. has failed every generation for 2000 years,
7. contradicts the direct statements of Jesus declaring "this generation" to whom it was promised,
8. is believed to be 100% certain after having failed for 2000 years
9. has divided Christianity into an est. 30,000 divisions, and has
10. has failed in every generation.
A yet future view is built on the single idea only literal language is biblical, with no biblical time facts for the claims of 2000 years. It claims Jesus will return 'personally, physically, visibly, literally, and concretely.' The problem is that NONE of these terms occur in scripture at all. If you consult Strong's exhaustive Concordance you will not find; 'personally, physically, visibly, literally, and concretely' in any passage of any page of the bible. Jesus was always to return 'in clouds,' which means the presence of God in judgment. (Clouds. “One of the most familiar biblical images for God's presence – a judgement.” Ex 19:9; I Chron 16:33; Job 22:13; Ps 18:7- 12; Is 19:1; 26:21; Jer 4:12-13. His coming in the clouds thus brings judgement and deliverance into history.” Alexander Cruden.)
Jesus always said He would return, not physically, personally, visibly, literally, concretely, but 'IN CLOUDS.
Mtt 24:30 Jesus coming IN CLOUDS
Mtt 26:64 Coming ON THE CLOUDS
Mk 13:26 Son of man COMING IN CLOUDS
Mk 14:62 and COMING IN CLOUDS
Lk 21:27 coming IN A CLOUD with power
Acts 1:9 A CLOUD RECEIVED him...coming in same manner
Rev 1:7 He cometh WITH CLOUDS
Rev 10:1 coming from heaven clothed IN CLOUDS
'Now consider a Preterist (past) foundation which LOOKS BACK TO THE NATURAL CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE in the C.1st. A C.1st view:-
1. offers the simplest basis to unite the field
2. begins without assuming anything,.
3. doesn't need a delay that can't be proven,
4. doesn't need a gap that can't be demonstrated,
5. is based on observable time facts
6. accommodates promises to Jesus' own generation
7. demands a coming in His own generation,
8. corresponds to the direct statements of Jesus,
9. believed to be merely more probable,
10. functions to unify time facts with descriptive facts in a single perspective
Hence the foundation for the Preterist view states simply:-
"The things promised in speech and writing to the C.1st generation were fulfilled in their generation."
Evidence: "This generation will not pass away till all these things take place." Jesus. Mk 9:1; Mtt 23:35-36: 26:64.
Conclusion.
A Preterist foundation is based on observable biblical facts, simplicity of premise, rational thought, inductive logic, repeatable demonstrations, and is falsifiable. Methodologically Futurism cannot be observed, tested, proven, or supported by facts. "All the history of science goes to show that when a theory cannot be observed, cannot tested, cannot be proven, cannot be supported by facts, it can only be ignored."
(Stanley Beck. The Simplicity of Science. P. 85. Penguin. USA 1959)