More on Jerusalem and Preterism

Here is a small sampling of some Scriptures from my ‘Return’ article that brings the whole validity of Preterism’s Replacement Theology into sharp and unwanted focus:

Firstly, we read in Acts that the Age to Come will be inaugurated with the return of the Messiah:

Acts 3: “19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 
20 and that He may send Messiah Yeshua, who was preached to you before, 
21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”

The Apostle Paul (Sha’ul) makes it clear that before this restoration, certain things must happen:

Romans 11:25-27  “Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Let us assume the Preterist position for a moment.

While there is no doubt within Judaism that internal strife between Jew and Jew was very evident in the years leading up to the momentous events of 70 CE, there is absolutely no evidence, historically or in any Jewish writings of the time that Israel (‘Jacob), as a whole turned back to YHVH in 70 CE after witnessing their great Deliverer saving them from the horrors of the Fall of Jerusalem and Israel.

In Hosea, we read that the children of Israel shall live for some time without king and sacrifice, before the ‘restoration of all things’. Such a time could at best have only STARTED in 70 CE with the destruction of the Temple. It didn’t end, and couldn’t end then.

Further, Hosea makes it clear that this restoration will only occur AFTER the children of Israel (speaking of the majority, not just individuals or small communities) have turned back to YHVH.

Again, this could only potentially begin, not end, in 70 CE.

Hosea 3: 4-5 "For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They shall fear YHVH and His goodness in the latter days.”

In Jeremiah, we read that the great restoration and ‘Age to Come’ (Kingdom of God), can only occur after some of the children of Jacob return to Israel, and also after they have many Rabbi’s to lead them.

Jeremiah 3:14-17 “Return, O faithless children, declares the LORD; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. “‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, declares YHVH, they shall no more say, The ark of the covenant of YHVH. It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the YHVH, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the YHVH in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.”

We also see here that Jerusalem, the real Jerusalem, needs to be lifted up and called the ‘throne of YHVH’ in these ‘latter days’ prior to the great Day of Restoration. We are witnessing this very event in our lifetime!

Jeremiah also makes it clear that these (some but not all) children of Jacob must return from the Diaspora, be fruitful and multiply. You only need to spend a few weeks in Israel to witness the truth of this prophecy being fulfilled in our day.

Jeremiah 23:3-4 “Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares YHVH. 

“Behold, the days are coming, declares YHVH, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”

Another fascinating prophecy of the ‘last days’ that can in no way be applied to 70 CE, is this:

Jeremiah 23:6-8
“6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness. 
7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,
8 but As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them. Then they shall dwell in their own land.” 

Consider how significant this prophecy is!

Jeremiah tells us that the miracle of the return of the children of Israel from the ‘four corners’ of the earth (where they were to be sent in the final exile), would one day be seen as a greater miracle that the Exodus!

The Fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE was no great miracle or blessing through which the children of Israel would constantly speak in awed and joyous tones about. And they certainly had not returned in any significant numbers to Israel in the years leading up to 70 CE.

When we study the miracle of the re-birth of the State of Israel and the return of her people to the Land, we see miracle upon unbelievable miracle. Yet, the disbelieving world, including Hellenistic Christianity has hidden this truth and these amazing miracles from us. This truth is open though to those who truly wish to seek it out.

To begin to appreciate the enormity of these recent miracles of God, I recommend both the books ‘A Crash Course in Jewish History’ by Rabbi Ken Spiro and the brilliant ‘A History of the Jews’ by Prof. Paul Johnson.

For a more detailed critique of Preterism please see my book 'Doctrinal Pitfalls of Hellenism' or the article here.