Quick Survey on Eschatological Positions of Current Board Regulars

What is your broad position?

  • Amillennial

    Votes: 55 62.5%
  • Postmillennial

    Votes: 26 29.5%
  • Premillennial

    Votes: 6 6.8%
  • Something that distinguishes itself from all 3

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Total voters
    88
  • Poll closed .
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RichardNZ, Anthony Hoekema in the Bible and the Future does use Revelation 21 to make his case for New Jerusalem being on the new earth—in his chapter, “The New Earth”, starting on its first page, 274.

Please note, those who would deprecate with phrases such as “men…trying to soar above themselves in flights of fancy and pry[ing] into things which God has not revealed” and “It has no basis in the word of God, and runs contradictory to the express teaching of the Word”— the common view I have been propounding, namely New Jerusalem shall come down upon New Earth with God dwelling there in our midst—was in this textbook on Eschatology by Anthony Hoekema, which was the primary text on Eschatology used in Reformed seminaries until it was replaced by Cornelis P. Venema’s newer The Promise of the Future. Which, by the way, likewise teaches the same. A brief quote from Dr. Venema’s text:

“Heaven, the place of God’s special dwelling, will come down to earth and God will dwell in the midst of his people. The promise of the future for believers finds its focus in heaven, but it does not exclude the earth. Rather, all things will be united in Christ, whether things in heaven or things upon the earth (Eph. 1:10).” p 459​

I could go on and produce numerous other examples of responsible Reformed commentators taking the same position, but for the moment I will desist.

Some observations: One of the great dangers facing eschatology in the present day is from the two-pronged offensive mounted against balanced Biblical truth emanating from the domain of error—and it is literalism and spiritualization. The former mangles Biblical symbolism by insisting on a wooden literal interpretation against a genre style that holds no truck with such a hermeneutic; the latter insists—likewise against the apocalyptic and vision genres—on eviscerating the visions and symbols of any reality based in historical happenings, demanding an ethereality not warranted by the Biblical text. True, this latter, the Unmitigated Idealist (UI) view (I now prefer that adjective to “Pure” or “Consistent”) which was an antidote to Historicist and Premil errors, yet has—when unmodified—dangerous error of its own, which I have interacted with here, and here ff..

Eschatology is perhaps the only Biblical doctrine which is still in flux, that is, it has not been settled in the Presbyterian and Reformed communities, or elsewhere in the church. The older theologians and commentators are generally not sound in this one area. Of course this statement will cause an uproar, and I shall be as a lightning rod taking bolts of censure, but I can deal with it.

The reason this is such a vitally important area of doctrine is that we are moving into a time where our societies (America, Europe, down under, the West generally, though other less developed nations are having their own seismic upheavals) are experiencing a profound satanic onslaught via the general culture, often precipitated by wicked and deluded rulers—which are themselves given as a judgment from on High against wicked nations, to bring them into havoc and ruin. And the saints are in the midst of it all, and it would help having a sense of where we are in the progression of the Apocalypse of John, i.e., where we are in the age. The UI would have us in a fog with their trafficking in abstract theorems, and the Premils would have us raptured out before it gets really bad—though the Hist. Premils at least have us go through serious tribulation, which is right.

I once heard a pastor wisely say that often the shock of being hit by suffering unprepared is worse than the suffering itself. We are given the Revelation, as well the other Scriptures, that we may be prepared. Yet Revelation has a significance many do not well understand—it is the final prophecy, and the climax of all prior prophecy, where what is to come upon us is spelled out, and the Sovereignty of our God over all that occurs upon His earth—and especially what befalls His beloved saints—is shown to be in His mighty hand and governance. The Apocalypse rightly exposited is a source of profound blessing to the church. It is His final word to us.

But back to the new earth and new heavens. God gave humankind the earth to subdue and cultivate, and live upon (Gen 1:28). In Psalm 115:16 He says,

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s:
but the earth hath he given to the children of men.​

In Isaiah 45:18 He said He formed the earth to be inhabited. Jesus said that we who are His meek ones shall inherit the earth (Matt 5:5), as also says David in Psalm 37:9, 29. Are folks telling us these are empty words spoken by our Saviour? For there are those saying that we shall surely not inherit the earth, but only Heaven.

Yet all things are resolved when we see His word:

Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him. (Eph 1:8,9,10)​

We shall definitely be in Heaven, yet Heaven shall be upon New Earth. This is the resolution of the apparent conundrum.

And so many Scriptures will be fulfilled and clear in our understanding:

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD:
and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s:
and he is the governor among the nations. (Psalm 22:27, 28)

All the earth shall worship thee,
and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah (Psalm 66:4)​

And this promise to our father Abraham shall be filled to the uttermost: “…in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen 12:3)
_______

I will shortly be traveling, and will not have a steady internet connection, so if I do not respond in a timely fashion, please don’t think I have quit the field—I’ll be back.
 
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I once again just leave you to your views, Steve, and to others to judge for themselves. I am sure the teaching of Edwards will show the force of truth and the Christian's own spiritual instinct will direct him heavenward.
 
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