Hi Dave. Although we did get to the first commandment on our last study together, the most part of it was taken up with some of the questions you had about what we had already spoke about previously, especially dispensationalism, what it meant, and how it all relates to the End Times. So I think it best if we just start on the first commandment next time, and here I will just deal with the other stuff.
Before I carry on, I will add my own piece of advice based on personal experience in this, which will hopefully help you to avoid wasting massive amounts of time and effort to get to the same conclusion. After years spent in much anxiety and confusion over the end times, I became aware of something labelled “dispensationalism” which seemed innocent enough at first. As I dug down though, I realised that it’s like a poisonous gas that has worked its way into all different types/denominations of the church, and tends to remain virtually invisible apart from the fruits of what it teaches. For the last six or seven years, I have been what is labelled an “amillenialist” with regard to the end times, which although it seems almost heretical compared to most of today’s teaching, it is actually the historic belief of the majority of the church since Pentecost. Since I embraced this theology, all of the issues I had previously disappeared like a puff of smoke, and have never bothered me since. I pray that you find the same release if I’m honest.
Here are some links to help point you in the right direction, so you can make up your own mind. If you read this fairly short post first of all, it explains a little what dispensationalism actually is, and where it came from:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/dispensationalism
One of the key things you will hear argued by dispensationalist teaching, is that God has not yet fulfilled His promise to Israel, because they did not inherit all of the land. It’s often suggested according to their teaching, that the church will be secretly raptured before a seven year tribulation period on earth, after which Jesus will return to establish a thousand year kingdom. He will reign in Jerusalem from a rebuilt temple, and will finally restore all the land God had promised to Israel too. If you ever hear anyone say this, ask them if they have ever read Joshua chapter 23. Considering one of the core teachings of dispensationalism is to always read the Bible literally where possible, ask yourself how on earth they fail to read the following words of Joshua literally with regard to their notion of God still not fulfilling His promises to Israel at that time!
14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.” Joshua 23:14–16.
Next, here’s a video from Pastor Bryan Wolfmueller, explaining the different views regarding the end times, and how they all work. He also focusses on the amillenial view (which is also the Lutheran view), and explains how it fits with the clear texts of Scripture on the same subject.
If you’ve got this far, hopefully you will begin to see a little more clearly. But if you wish to study further for yourself, I would like to introduce you to the theologian that I think is probably the No.1 in this field, and whose book was the thing that convinced me totally. The book he wrote is called “A Case for Amillennialism“, and his name is Dr. Kim Riddlebarger. The book is very easy to read, and not too long, but he has also done a series of lectures he made which expounds the different sections of his book. So if you would rather listen, then it’s really easy to do so, and also it’s totally free.
If you go to the following page on his blog, you will find tons of audio files of his, which are all recordings from his lectures over the years, and are all on the subject of escatology (end times). There’s way more than its possible to even listen to it all, but they are all spot on, so I would suggest dipping into it time and again, whenever you might feel the need. The best place to start though, is the audio based on his book, especially for someone new to the subject. I guarantee that if you go to the following page: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/amillennialism-audio-links-charts and scroll down to the section headed “Amillennialism 101 (2008-10)“. If you work your way down the list beginning with “What is Amillennialism?“, when you finally get to the last recording, you will officially know as much about eschatology as I do! It will take you ages, but you will spot a dispensationalist from miles away, and you will know exactly how to turn their teaching on its head straight from the Scripture. There’s a challenge for ya!!
God bless,
John
