PJ Hanley- Replacement Theology
There are many references in the writings of the Hebrew prophets regarding the destruction and scattering of Israel and her regathering from the ends of the earth at the end of the age. The Preterists consider these verses to have been fulfilled in the return from Babylon when only a small number of Jews returned. They also consider the Last Days to have ended in 70 AD, which was the period of the destruction of Israel and not a regathering from all the nations. The Prophets were very specific when they prophesied the final return, making it clear that Israel would be surrounded by all nations; but this last time, God would fight for them and they would be victorious (Micah 4:11-13, Isaiah 41:8-16). But even if we accept the view that this was fulfilled by the return from Babylon, as the Preterists say, what are we to do with Zechariah who prophesied after the return from Babylon? He said that all the nations would come against Israel and Jerusalem to destroy it, but the Jews would be victorious when God fights for them. When was this prophecy fulfilled? When did all the nations come against Jerusalem and when were they destroyed? Certainly not in 70 AD!
“‘On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, “The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.” On that day I will make the leaders of Judah like a firepot in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume right and left all the surrounding peoples, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” Zech 12:3-9 NIV
“Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!” Zech 14:1-5
When were these passages fulfilled? They weren’t. And neither were all the other predictions of the Hebrew Prophets regarding Israel and Jerusalem at the end of the age. How does Preterism deal with them? The answer is simple. They rely on something called Replacement Theology which teaches that Israel was rejected by God and replaced by the Church. This has been used as an excuse to persecute the Jews throughout the centuries. Replacement Theology celebrates all the words of the Prophets concerning the literal destruction of Israel and Jerusalem, but robs and steals her of all the prophecies of restoration, making them non-literal and applying them now to the Church. This is a blatant disregard for Scripture and an attack on the Jewish people, but it continues to be spoken day after day in books and messages as though it was absolute truth, even among those who say they believe in the state of Israel’s redemption. How can this still be going on, especially now, since all that the Prophets have spoken about the restoration of Israel is literally coming to pass? Indeed, a great sifting of hearts has come to the Church on this issue. Listen carefully to the spirit behind Preterism:
“The Book of Revelation is not about the Second Coming of Christ. It is about the destruction of Israel and Christ’s victory over His enemies in the establishment of the New Covenant Temple. In fact, as we shall see, the word coming as used in the Book of Revelation never refers to the Second Coming. Revelation prophesies the judgment of God on apostate Israel; and while it does briefly point to events beyond its immediate concerns, that is done merely as a ‘wrap-up,’ to show that the ungodly will never prevail against Christ’s Kingdom. But the main focus of Revelation is upon events which were soon to take place.” [The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation by David Chilton]
When Jesus came down the Mount of Olives on what we call Palm Sunday, He saw the destruction of the city and the nation of Israel and He wept. Surely He understood the long exile that they would go through and how He would be reconciled to them again at the end of the age! Of course He did. And when He poured out His wrath on them from 66-72 AD, was He not weeping? But these people say that despite the words of the Prophets toward His beloved people, Messiah could find no mercy for them in his heart, destroyed them as enemies, and condemned them never to be a nation again, contrary to His solemn promises. Yet Gentiles, on the other hand, whom God has equally promised to pour out his wrath on, are spared. And of course, the apostate Gentile Church is forgiven, and released from all judgment, and is now being restored. Did she not also pollute the earth with evil for nearly 2,000 years? How convenient and how anti-Semitic!
It is very clear in the New Testament, that the 1st Century Church did not share this view, and it is equally clear from history that the 2nd Century Church did not share it either.
“I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” Romans 11:11-12
“For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery — so that you will not be wise in your own estimation — that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, ‘THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.’ From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:25-29
Since when have we been freed from following the teaching and practice of the Early Church? Isn’t that Scripture? If they were Premillennialists (and they were), what right do we have to reject their teaching? Shouldn’t that be enough for us?
Replacement Theology is a doctrine of hell. It contradicts not only the content of Scripture, but the heart of it as well — not to mention it maligns the character and reputation of God Almighty. Therefore, any doctrine built on it is rotten to the core. Furthermore, anyone who teaches or promotes Preterism does not love Israel, no matter how much they say so, or how many tours they’ve been on. Though Premillennialists are quick to say they do not believe in Replacement Theology, many of them are still teaching and preaching it. It still affects the way they approach Scripture. This is one reason they are so easily led to Preterism. If you truly embrace God’s Word concerning Israel and how it is being fulfilled today, you cannot fall prey to this teaching.
2. Private or Non-Literal Interpretation of Scripture
“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.” 2 Peter 1:20-2:1
The context of this Scripture is clearly End-Time teaching. The whole book is about false teachers who lack character, and, having gone astray from the faith, are saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” Peter tells us that the coming (Greek parousia, “presence, coming”) and revealing of Jesus to the world in Glory and Majesty, that was prophesied by the prophets (1:19), is on track, even though some think it is taking too long. He also calls this parousia, the Day of Lord.
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10
The Day of the Lord judgment which is coming upon the world is a primary theme of the Prophets of Israel (Joel 2:31, Isaiah 2, 13:9-13, and many more). Incidentally, it is not the time of destruction upon Israel which took place in the 1st Century. It is a time of judgment on the earth when all the wicked will be destroyed.
“The sun will be dark when it rises and the moon will not shed its light. Thus I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity…” Is 13:10-11 NASU
Peter, of course, being a good student of the Prophets, knew this and affirms it in Chapter 2, verse 9:
“….then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment…” 2 Peter 2:9
Now, regarding the words of the Prophets and all Scripture for that matter, Peter says that it is not a matter of one’s own private interpretation. This means that the words of the Prophets have a literal meaning which cannot be taken away or reinterpreted by us. The literal and plain meaning of the authors of the Bible is not to be overwritten by anyone. This was the practice of the false teachers in the 1st Century, and it is the practice of false teachers today as well. Though it is clear that there is often a prophetic truth to be gleaned from a passage, or a moral application to be made, there is never a license or justification to make a change in the plain, literal meaning of the author. The only time we can interpret a passage non-literally is when the text makes it clear that it is not to be taken literally. This is not difficult to understand. Text must have a literal meaning and the rules of language insist that words have a literal meaning and application. They cannot be altered or translated as something other than what was written and intended by the author. But those who use their own private interpretation can make the Scripture say whatever they want. This was the practice of the Gnostic false teachers in Peter’s day, and it is the predominant way in which the Bible is interpreted today by Charismatics, and even more so in the Revival Movement. I know, since I am part of both, and throughout my Christian walk this has grieved me. This, in my opinion, is the primary reason, besides Replacement Theology, that we have so much confusion and heresy.
Those who read the Bible non-literally and are always looking for the allegorical or figurative meaning, reduce it to a series of stories and magic sayings, and reject its authority and orthodoxy. Without this method of “interpretation,” Preterism cannot exist. Only Premillennialism relies on a straightforward literal reading of Scripture. Preterism considers the Old Testament literal, and fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. But the rest of the Bible it conveniently interprets non-literally. Who gives them the authority to do this? This position undermines Scripture and the will of God for today.
Conclusion
Every prophecy of Scripture that has come to pass has done so literally. Over 300 specific prophecies about Jesus were walked out in the most minute detail. His crucifixion is outlined in Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. The striking of Jesus and the scattering of His disciples is detailed in Zechariah 13. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas for thirty pieces of silver, is foretold in Zechariah 11 and fulfilled to the letter. The prophets, including Jesus, prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem, with the siege and the worldwide scattering of the nation in 70 AD, which came to pass in an extraordinary literal way. How then can anyone suggest the rest of Bible prophecy is not to be fulfilled literally, but somehow already happened in a “spiritual,” figurative sense? Please understand, this is not just an eschatological point of view; it is an aberration, a departure from reality, from logic, and from the clear teaching of the Word of God. Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem in Luke 21, which came to pass literally. But His prophecy did not end there. He said that Jerusalem would be trodden down by Gentile rulers and restored to Israeli rule at the end of the age. This too has been fulfilled literally in 1967. In the same way, the Tribulation period will take place, and will fulfill all the horrendous prophecies spoken about it, in minute detail. Those who ignore this reality will find their dominion rhetoric of little help when the day comes, and they are caught in a trap. [Luke 21:34]
For decades, Charismatics and Pentecostals ignored sound eschatology and used silly, ignorant excuses to avoid the subject. They mocked those of us who held down the fort, calling us “escapists” and “doom and gloom idiots.” Now their children are paying a heavy price and going into spiritual exile for lack of knowledge. [Isaiah 5:13] The mocking and scoffing has turned to hate as this new generation of radicals has embraced the wrong cause. Someday soon, the mocking will be replaced with fright and terror when many realize the monster they have created. Dear Friend, make no mistake about it, your eschatology impacts what you do and where you will go. This is not simply a matter of different opinions. One position is Biblical and prepares for the return of Christ. The others are opposed to Scripture, have no longing for His appearing, and those who embrace them do so at their own peril.
An excerpt from “They Call Themselves Apostles: How Revival Churches Have Been Hijacked by the New Apostolic Reformation” by PJ Hanley.
What is the New Apostolic Reformation or the New Apostolic Age? Where have all the apostles in the Body of Christ come from? Are they the ones that will bring heaven down to earth? Will the Local Church be replaced by Apostolic Centers? Will these apostles transform culture and take the 7 Mountains? What is formal alignment? Have you or your church been aligned? Are end-time judgments coming or is everything going to get better now that the apostles are restored?
By examining the method and message of the current apostolic movement, this book uncovers the true foundation of the Church and the agenda of the Father in the last days. By speaking the truth in love, it dissolves the clouds of ignorance used by the enemy to tranquilize the Church, and lead her astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
