(Edmonton, AB Canada: Still Waters Revival Books, [1855] 1993), 2:621. Those are the views. He comes pre, not post; He comes before. The assembly and the circumstances of the assembly must be distinguished. Similarly, the Westminster Directory for Public Worship instructed ministers to pray for the Propagation of the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ to all nations, for the conversion of the Jews, the fullness of the Gentiles, the fall of Antichrist, and the hastening of the second coming of the Lord. (Quoted in J. Now, the only thing that I ask is that you read it, and the only reason I ask you to read it is so that you may be what? Now, frankly, its too late for John Calvin to fix his work, although he is now a premillennialist in heaven. John MacArthur's Defense of Dispensationalism Monday, December 8, 2008 by Gary DeMar In 1988, John MacArthur wrote The Gospel According to Jesus, a controversial book in certain circles because he relied heavily on the views of Calvinistic writers to deal with the lordship salvation controversy. Pre-Millennialism, Post-Millennialism or Amillennialism? What passage is it in? Loraine Boettner wrote a book called The Meaning of the Millennium; this is what he said: It is generally agreed that if the prophecies are taken literally, they do foretell a restoration of the nation of Israel in the land of Palestine, with the Jews having a prominent place in that kingdom and ruling over the other nations.. Premillennialism (3) Pretribulationism (1) Pride (3) Priests (4) Princeton Theological Review (1) . This message clears up any questions as to where MacArthur stands on the eschatology issue. Return the sovereignty of God in election to its rightful place, return the nation Israel to its rightful place, and your eschatology will unfold in beautiful clarity. And there are a lot of people who get the first one right - they get election right - and they dont get Israel right, and they are lost when it comes to eschatology. When Frederick the Great called his chaplain in and he said, I want proof of the truthfulness of the Bible, and I want it briefly, the chaplain replied, Sir, I can give you proof of the truthfulness of the Bible in one word: Israel.. (1) That the old offcasten Israel for unbelief would never be forgotten, especially in these meetings, that the promised day of their ingrafting again by faith may be hastened; and that the dead weight of blood removed off them, that their fathers took upon them and upon their children, that have sunk them down to hell upwards of seventeen hundred years. We chart the course and God reacts. Sermons | Educational Resources | The Master's Seminary He wants us to get it right; thats why He put it in the Scripture and the Scripture is replete with it. The church will have an increasing influence in the world. All of these are benefits of getting it right. For details about this sermon and for related resources, click here: https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/90-339 To receive John MacArthur's monthly l. Log In
May we be faithful to take it, to interpret it as you intended for us to, so that it can yield to us the wonderful rich blessings that You have promised. Now, next time Im going to take you through a series of about five questions that were going to ask and see how this plays out on the pages of Scripture, okay? I align myself to historical premillennialism, so I want to convey my own dismay with John MacArthur's sermon series from 2007. After this period of fulfillment of divine wrath, He shall then return to rule from a holy city ( i.e., the New Jerusalem) over the earthly nations for one thousand years. Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist By John MacArthur So, I told the pastors at the conference, and the title of this talk is, Why every self-respecting Calvinist has to be a premillennialist. Because, if you believe in divine sovereign election, then you have to believe that as God will be faithful to His promises to His church, He will also be faithful to His promises to His elect nation Israel. and defends what can only be described as postmillennialism over against premillennialism. Some people say, How in the world can you understand it? They understood it in China without anything but a Bible; they understood it in Central Asia without anything but a Bible; you take it at face value. Amillennialism is ideal for Arminians because, according to their theology, God elects nobody and preserves nobody. His point being that Jesus literally fulfilled promises of God just as they would have been literally taken, how in the world can we now redefine the kingdom in a different way than it was described in and through the prophets? The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law, thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.. and divine grace shall melt and renew their hard hearts … And then shall the house of Israel be saved: the Jews in all their dispersions shall cast away their old infidelity, and shall have their hearts wonderfully changed, and abhor themselves for their past unbelief and obstinacy. Church column: Are people of Israel today children of God by reason of Daylight and dark, daylight and dark - thats a 24-hour period - God creates everything. And Im not in to newspaper exegesis, where you where everything that happens in the news fulfills some obscure Old Testament prophecy. So, I said, Would you do me a favor? How could they believe unless He caused them to believe? John MacArthur laid down the gauntlet on the issue of prophecy in his opening talk at the 2007 "Shepherds' Conference" that was titled "Why Every Self-Respecting Calvinist Is a Premillennialist." He was emphatic that only premillennialism takes the prophecies concerning the future of Israel seriously. His mode of expositing those verses that supposedly counter Preterism really helped me to focus on those areas in the Bible. Floyd Hamilton in his book, The Basis of the Millennial Faith, says - and I quote: Now we must frankly admit the literal interpretation of the Old Testament prophecies gives us just such a picture of an earthly reign of the Messiah as the premillennialist pictures., Now, thats a fate worse than death. Its a strange approach. Process theology: they are the theologians, liberal theologians, who believe that God is in process of becoming what He will be. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15; 1 Corinthians 15. Short Response to Dr. MacArthur's Comment on Amillennialism But there is a growing influence of amillennialism, because amillennialism has been a part of reformed theology. The beliefs of Premillennialism are far from "rightly dividing the word of truth"! I dont know about you, but I really cant get too worked up about greenhouse gases. So, they did it, and we distributed that at the Shepherds Conference - 350-page version of Revelation, in which the full interpretation is provided there and of course, you can advance to the full two volumes if youd like. There are a number of viewpoints of what the Bible means when it speaks of future events. Dispensational Premillennialism: Exposition and Critique Also, among Scottish Presbyterian churches during this period, special days of prayer were set aside partly in order that the promised conversion of [Gods] ancient people of the Jews may be hastened. (Quoted in Murray, The Puritan Hope, 100.) Through the work of Ladd, historic premillennialism gained scholarly respect and popularity among Evangelical and Reformed theologians since he had the right appreciation of the redemptive- historical significance of the first coming of Christ and of the NT age. Piper was responding to an "Ask Pastor John . For example, the book is well-organized. May it be powerful in our lives we pray in Christs name. Not one reference anywhere in Scripture - and there are over two thousand, referring to Israel - means anything other than Israel. If only he could just send down one message, that might be it. A Case for Historic Premillennialism: An Alternative to "Left Behind The alpha privative in the Greek language means a negative, so there is the view that there is no millennium; that what John is writing about in Revelation 20 is very vague, may refer to nothing other than a long time in which the church flourishes on earth, simply referring to that kingdom which is spiritual - that is, the rule of Christ over those who belong to Him while on earth. Whether you are a pessimistic amillennialist, or an optimistic amillennialist - thats a postmillennialist - you dont know what to do with prophetic truth, because if you interpret prophetic truth in the same normal, natural way you interpret all the rest of the passages of Scripture, youre going to end up a premillennialist; its inevitable. It has to matter to us. Now, I told you a few weeks ago why people believe that, because they want to get God off the hook so Hes not responsible for evil; but Hes happy to take the responsibility for allowing evil for His own glory. The reasons are simple enough: this classic work is forthrightly Biblical. Jonathan Edwards, a noted postmillennialist and someone MacArthur quotes unfavorably in his Shepherds talk, outlined the future of the Christian Church in his 1774 History of Redemption. What did MacArthur fail to tell the attendees at the Shepherds Conference? That is called historical premillennialism: Christ will come, set up the kingdom, but it won't have the Jewish character that we anticipate from Old Testament promises it would have, because those promises were cancelled to Israel and given to the church. So, if you say the promises of the Old Testament that refer to Israel really meant the church, you have no precedent for such an interpretation. Thats called process theology. He is known around the world for his verse-by-verse expository preaching and his pulpit ministry via his daily radio program, Grace to You. Edwards believed that the overthrow of Satans kingdom involved several elements: the abolition of heresies and infidelity, the overthrow of the kingdom of the Antichrist (the Pope), the overthrow of the Muslim nations, and the overthrow of Jewish infidelity: However obstinate [the Jews] have been now for above seventeen hundred years in their rejection of Christ, and however rare have been the instances of individual conversions, ever since the destruction of Jerusalem … yet, when this day comes, the thick vail that blinds their eyes shall be removed, 2 Cor. We had met a short time ago, and she had questions about . MacArthur, John, and Richard Mayhue, eds. John MacArthur's ministries, including Grace to You and Masters University, also employ a grammatical historical method of interpretation, and they come to a dispensational view of eschatology. But in the Old Testament - for example, Isaiah 45:4: Israel, Mine elect. A Look at the Church of England, Sneak Peek Interview: Laura Wiflers New Childrens Book. Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 1 - Grace To You . The other says there will be a kingdom. One says moving toward the coming of Christ there will be no kingdom. Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource. So, my words to you are really very simple foundational words, I say this. Seventy percent - by the way - of Scripture is the story of Israel, start to finish. Amillennialism is consistent with Arminianism. Macarthur writes "Futuristic Premillennialism is the result of an understanding and application of the prophetic texts in a way that is consistent with the normal, literal approach to interpreting Scripture." This is how the authors come to their Futuristic Premillennial view. Let me give you a theology lesson here a little bit. God filled the Bible with prophecy and much of it looking to the end. That's a complete misreading. I think it matters to God. And again, I say, His election is divine, unilateral, unconditional and irrevocable. The first view well call the postmillennial view; that is to say, that Christ will come after the millennium; that the return of Christ is post, it is after the millennial kingdom. Arminius did not believe in election; those who follow him do not believe in election. Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. That is to say, while they understood that someone would come, they understood whatever it was that had been revealed to them, the timing was not clear, and the precise personages were not clear. Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 6 - YouTube I have dragged you through virtually every verse in the New Testament. ( 3:16) . He doesnt know the future because it hasnt happened. O.T. Premillennialists believe that two-thirds of the Jews living in Israel during the time of the great tribulation will be slaughtered (Zech. In other words, Piper believes Jesus Christ will come on earth and reign for 1,000 years. It is pungently clear. This makes two distinct judgmentsone for Christians and one for non-Christians after the millennium. "Why Every Self-Respecting Calvinist is a Pre-Millennialist." For those of you who don't know, this was a statement, among others, that John MacArthur was recorded as making at the recent Shepherd's Conference 2007 at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley California. They dont want to accept that the entire universe was created in six nearly twenty-four-hour days. John McArthur John MacArthur was born on 19 June, 1939. Not that they were the only ones to be saved, but they were the ones through whom God will eventually reach, and even set up His Son to rule over the nations. Weve been working our way through doctrinal emphases in Scripture, doctrinal themes, and we have covered a lot of ground. Historical Records of New South Wales, vols 1-7; Historical Records of Australia, series 1, vols 1-17, series 3, vols 2-3, series 4, vol 1; S. Macarthur Onslow, Early Records of the Macarthurs of Camden (Syd 1914) S. J. Butlin, Foundations of the Australian Monetary System, 1788-1851 (Melb, 1953) M. H. Ellis, John Macarthur (Syd, 1955) and for bibliography An amillennial response to John MacArthur's dispsationalism The Or another way to say it would be this: how many of you have attended an amillennial prophecy conference? God is just trying to find His way through the melee of choices and decisions, through the endless vicissitudes and choices that everything and everyone makes, through all of the numberless issues in this massive universe that are going on; Hes sorting it all out as He goes. Ive been here at Grace Church well, what - thirty-some years. But if you read Genesis 1 to 3, its pretty clear the evening and the morning were the first day, the evening and the morning were the second day, the evening and the morning were the third day. Because when you understand Gods purpose for Israel, you now have the foundation for all eschatology; all eschatology. The completed registration allows us to send order and donation receipts to the email address you provided. Whats that about? When He comes, everything ends immediately. It is the theme of Scripture, the theme of eternity, and the . Reformed Theology Opposes John MacArthur | 5 Pt. Salt But they want to get God off the hook, so they say Hes really not responsible, Hes really not in charge of anything; Hes just trying to figure it out. Who Are the Real Schismatics? But, in any case - and by the way, postmillennialists and amillennialists differ as to the details of these kinds of things. John MacArthur News Why TMS? Dispensationalism, Revised and Expanded: Charles C. Ryrie (Ridgeley, Commentary on the Larger Catechism, 1:563564.). Worship - John F. MacArthur 2012-01-20 Nothing is more important than worship. We know that, so our ambition is, when we get to that place, to be rewarded because we are pleasing to Him. But in both cases, they would deny the actual thousand-year reign of Christ, and they would deny that Christ will reign and rule on earth and literally fulfill all His promises to the nation Israel given in the Old Testament covenants. They explain, "As a refinement of dispensational premillennialism, futuristic millennialism affirms a futuristic view . MacArthur--who is an ardent dispensationalist--stated and defended his position. Christ's Prophetic Plans: A Futuristic Premillennial Primer. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. . Not just the future of Israel, but our confidence in the Word of God. . :: In 1652, a group of eighteen Puritan ministers and theologians, including both Presbyterians and Independents, affirmed that the Scripture speaks of a double conversion of the Gentiles, the first before the conversion of the Jews, they being Branches wild by nature grafted into the True Olive Tree instead of the natural Branches which are broken off…. The church will become more influential, more impactful, more spiritually powerful. A. DeJong, As the Waters Cover the Sea: Millennial Expectations in the Rise of Anglo-America Missions, 16401810 (Kampen: J. H. Kok, 1970), 3738.) What some postmil critics fail to recognize is that postmillennialists have always had a significant role for the future conversion of Jews while premillennialists do not. Mathewson, Dave L. John MacArthur | The Heidelblog Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. And by the way, if we change the rules, what are the new ones? And . The "millennium" refers to the period of 1,000 years mentioned in Revelation 20:3, "He threw Satan into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were ended. Dispensationalism is perhaps a key reason why evangelicals have such a concern with what happens to the nation of Israel. In short, there shall be, as it were, a universal spread of religion and holiness to the Lord, throughout the world. Premillennialism - Historic Vs. Dispensational Premillennialism (Ridgeley, Commentary on the Larger Catechism, 1:562. Now, the truth of the matter is, those are just two ways to look at the same thing; postmillennialism and amillennialism is really the same thing. Now, were going to dig a little more deeply into the whole idea of the millennial kingdom and what the Bible says about it, and as to its nature and the aspects of the kingdom that are revealed in Scripture - and by the way, they are many and they are wondrous to behold, and we will do that. Now, there are people who do this to Genesis 1, 2 and 3. When I was in seminary I thought about it, and I guess for about 50 years Ive been thinking about eschatology, the time of the end. No other study Bible does such a thorough job of explaining the historical context, unfolding the meaning of the text, and placing it within a theological Scripture affirms the perpetuity of the elect church to salvation glory; that all whom the Lord has chosen He brings to glory. Wikizero - John MacArthur (American pastor) Why a Pretribulational Rapture? | Journal | The Master's Seminary All right, thats the introduction. But, for certain, according to amillennialists, there will be no thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth. We still have Mark to go, but there are only a couple of discourses and a couple of miracles in Mark that arent in the other three gospels, so not a lot of new material. Historic Premillennialism | Monergism I have never moved away from my conviction about these two things. I asked Dr. Michael Brown, who is premil, in our debate about Replacement Theology how he reconciles his claim that God is not finished with Israel with Zechariah 13:79. Reformed theologian John Piper affirmed his belief that the second coming of Christ is coming soon and indicated that he is a premillennialist. They will die for that truth regarding the church, but unashamedly abandon that same truth for the elect nation of Israel. Death, where is your sting? Basically he said that when people spiritualize or allegorize the first three chapters of Genesis we call them Liberals, but when they do the same with the prophetic Scriptures we call them amillennialists. The preconception is that we cant allow this to happen. I know where history is going. Israel sinned, youre out. This book teaches that Christians will exercise dominion in history. There have been premillennial (traditionally known as "chiliastic) movements, including some Reformed theologians, since the early church but most . Do you know - are you watching this media? It is narrative history, and we fight - sometimes tooth and nail - to maintain the literal veracity of Genesis 1 through 3.