SOME DISTINCTIVE DOCTRINES OF SYSTEMATIZED HYPER PRETERISM

It is important to keep in mind that many ideas and doctrines full preterism appeals to - such as the complete end of the Old Covenant world in AD70 - are by no means distinctive to that view.   Many non HyPs believe this as well, so one need not embrace the Hyper Preterist system in order to endorse this view.   Following are exceptional doctrines which, so far as I've seen, are only taught by adherents of Hyper Preterism.:

"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)

 There has been much misunderstanding in the modern Church concerning "the times of the Gentiles." In this article I will seek to give an interpretation that is consistent with both the immediate context and the greater weight of scripture.

 Many commentators today equate "the times of the Gentiles" with "the fullness of the Gentiles" mentioned by the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:25. In fact, most all reference Bibles make this connection in the margins. But mixing these verses together is strange indeed, since "the times of the Gentiles" refers to the treading down of Jerusalem by Gentile armies, while "the fullness of the Gentiles" refers to the salvation of the Gentiles. The truth is, there is no connection whatsoever between the times of the Gentiles and the fullness of the Gentiles, as they are speaking of two completely different things.

 It is also commonly taught that the times of the Gentiles refers to the historical period of Gentile control over Jerusalem beginning with the Babylonian captivity in 586 B.C. and ending in 1967, when Israel took East Jerusalem from the Arabs in the Six-Day War. Oddly, those who say that the times of the Gentiles ended in 1967 go on to say that a Gentile dictator from a "Revived Roman Empire" will soon sit in a "rebuilt temple", proclaiming himself to be God. This Gentile dictator and his Gentile army will seek to annihilate the Jews after breaking a false 7-year peace treaty at the midpoint, so the theory goes. But if this projection is true, we must ask ourselves: How was the times of the Gentiles "fulfilled" in 1967?

 Today, there are some 450,000 "Gentiles" living in Jerusalem. The present "intifada" was touched off when Ariel Sharon made a visit to the Temple Mount a few years ago. What's this saying? The popular dispensational interpretations of the times of the Gentiles simply don't add up!

 Dispensationalists simply impose a preconceived understanding on the term without any exegesis of the context, or parallel support found elsewhere in the Bible. Their appeal to 1967 truly epitomizes what is called "newspaper exegesis". But will we allow the Word of God to speak for itself??

 "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." (Luke 21:32)

 The times of the Gentiles has to be kept in it's proper historical context. Jesus said that "all", including the times of the Gentiles, would be fulfilled before his contemporary generation had passed. Dispensationalists go outside the box of "this generation" in order to teach a futuristic view of Christ's coming. To do that they have to redefine both "the times of the Gentiles" and "this generation". Needless to say, their "1948 generation" has proven to be more than just a little embarrassing.

 "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh . . . and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:20, 24)

 The times of the Gentiles referred to the treading down, or desolation, of first century Jerusalem, which Jesus called "the days of vengeance". In other words, it was God's mission for the Gentiles to bring judgment upon Jerusalem. This is consistent with past judgments upon Israel, when God brought Gentiles armies into their land to desolate it.

 The whole controversy centers on the duration of the treading down of Jerusalem. The Greek for "trodden" is pat-eh'-o (#3961 in Strong's Concordance), and it means "to trample down underfoot". The parallel to Lk.21:24 is seen in Revelation 11:2, which says:

 "But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot (pateho) forty and two months."

 Could it be any plainer? The times of the Gentiles, or treading down of Jerusalem, entailed no more than a forty two month period of time, the exact duration of the Jewish-Roman War. This is in perfect harmony with Daniel 12:7, where the defining characteristic of "the time of the end" is said to be "the scattering of the power of the holy people", which we are told would be accomplished during "a time, times, and a half", or forty two months.

 Furthermore, when we consider the mountain of evidence for a pre-70 dating of Revelation, in addition to the statements of imminence in the book itself (1:1, 3; 22:6, 7, 10, 12), then the forced conclusion is that the forty two months was fulfilled in the 66-70 A.D. Jewish-Roman War.

 In the ancient Near East, the ultimate image of triumph over an enemy was the positioning of the enemy "under the feet" of the conqueror. This was a literal custom in Biblical times – read Joshua 10:24; 2 Kings 7:17, 20, 9:33; Isaiah 14:19 – as well as a metaphor for dominion, conquering, possession, judgment, shame, defilement, oppression, and victory – read Deuteronomy 11:24; Judges 20:43; 1 Kings 5:3; Joshua 14:9; Psalms 18:38; 47:3; 74:21; 110:1; Lamentations 1:15; 3:34; Isaiah 14:25; 41:2; 63:6; 66:1; Jeremiah 25:30; Daniel 8:7; Joel 3:13; Amos 2:6-7; 4:13; Micah 1:3; 5:5-6; Malachi 4:3; Matthew 7:6; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Romans 16:20; I Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:22; Hebrews 1:13; 2:8; 10:13; Revelation 19:15. The Greek word for "tread" in Revelation 11:2 is the same word Luke used for "trodden" (pat-eh'-o) in Luke 21:24.

 Jerusalem's first century desolation represented the time when Christ put his enemies – read I Thessalonians 2:15-16 – under his feet. This was accomplished during a forty two month period which Jesus called "the times of the Gentiles".