Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
Preterism
I got into studying Preterism to find its fatal flaw. I began going through how it describes Matthew 24 as being when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. I began breaking it down on how this scripture is correctly seen as double prophecy. It is prophecy for the destruction of Jerusalem as Preterists say, but it also brings the End Times of the future into the picture as well. I had a good page already written and I read something that completely changed how I would deal with this belief.
I don't need to break every scripture they use down. I don't need to go through pages of writing to show every little thing that contradicts their beliefs and why. I just have to show one simple fact. When the book of Revelation was written.
Preterists claim it was written around 67 AD. They have to believe this. Why? Because they have to believe that all of the prophecies in revelation were about the events in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. However, the vast majority of scholars believe the book of revelation was written around 95 or 96 AD. If this is true, then it is impossible for John's visions of the End Times to be about the destruction of Jerusalem when that event had already happened.
So here are a couple of reasons to believe the Book of Revelation was indeed written in 95 or 96 AD and the visions are prophecies for a time in the future.
1) As I already said, the vast majority of scholars who study this agree that it was written in 95 or 96 AD. It is mostly the Preterist believers who claim Revelation was written in 67 AD but then again, they don't have a choice. If they admit to 95 AD, it proves their entire beliefs wrong. However, on the other hand, the vast majority who say it was written in 95 AD would not have their beliefs proven wrong if the book was written at the earlier date. That would only mean both beliefs are possible.
2) There were only two Roman Emperors who were known to persecute Christians at a large scale in the first century. These were Nero and Domitian.
Nero: There are many records of Nero having Christians killed. He had Peter crucified and he had Paul beheaded. He liked to throw Christians in with Lions for the entertainment of the crowds in the Coliseum. He even burned many at the stake along the roads leading to the coliseum. However, there is not one record of Nero sending any Christians to the Island of Patmos. He didn't banish them. He killed them for entertainment.
Domitian: This Emperor persecuted them, but he was not nearly as sadistic. He did have some Christians killed. Other Christians he just had their property confiscated. He had scriptures and other Christian books burned. He had many Christians banished to the Island of Patmos.
These are facts about both the emperors found in both Christian and secular sources. When you look at these two it is easy to figure out who would have had John banished to the Island of Patmos. There is no reason to believe that Nero would have banished John to the island of Patmos when it does not fit his profile. He never banished them, he killed them for entertainment. Nor is there any reason to believe it would be Nero because there is not a single early source that ever mentions Nero sending any Christians to the Island of Patmos.
There is every reason to believe it would be Domitian. He did have some killed but there is no evidence that he enjoyed it or used it for entertainment. There are early sources showing him to be lenient on some Christians in only confiscating their property or burning their books. There are even sources telling of how he often had Christians banished to the Island of Patmos.
Emperor Nero died in 68 AD. Domitian became Emperor in 81 AD and died in 96 AD.
So you can decide for yourself. Do you believe against all of the evidence on these two emperors and say it was Nero who sent John to Patmos and he wrote the book before 70 AD? Or do you accept the facts and believe that since Domitian is the only one ever to be noted for banishing Christians to the Island, that it was probably Domitian who banished John to the Island as well? The vast majority of scholars agree it was Domitian.
To believe the preterist view of prophecies, you need to believe the vast majority of scholars are wrong, as well as go against common sense and believe Nero is the one who banished John to Patmos even though it goes against his profile and it fits Domitian's perfectly.
One thing I have found in my studying the Bible is that God is not always mysterious. In fact, once you understand the truth of God's word, you realize God makes a lot of sense. God's word has a lot of logic behind it.
I don't need to break every scripture they use down. I don't need to go through pages of writing to show every little thing that contradicts their beliefs and why. I just have to show one simple fact. When the book of Revelation was written.
Preterists claim it was written around 67 AD. They have to believe this. Why? Because they have to believe that all of the prophecies in revelation were about the events in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. However, the vast majority of scholars believe the book of revelation was written around 95 or 96 AD. If this is true, then it is impossible for John's visions of the End Times to be about the destruction of Jerusalem when that event had already happened.
So here are a couple of reasons to believe the Book of Revelation was indeed written in 95 or 96 AD and the visions are prophecies for a time in the future.
1) As I already said, the vast majority of scholars who study this agree that it was written in 95 or 96 AD. It is mostly the Preterist believers who claim Revelation was written in 67 AD but then again, they don't have a choice. If they admit to 95 AD, it proves their entire beliefs wrong. However, on the other hand, the vast majority who say it was written in 95 AD would not have their beliefs proven wrong if the book was written at the earlier date. That would only mean both beliefs are possible.
2) There were only two Roman Emperors who were known to persecute Christians at a large scale in the first century. These were Nero and Domitian.
Nero: There are many records of Nero having Christians killed. He had Peter crucified and he had Paul beheaded. He liked to throw Christians in with Lions for the entertainment of the crowds in the Coliseum. He even burned many at the stake along the roads leading to the coliseum. However, there is not one record of Nero sending any Christians to the Island of Patmos. He didn't banish them. He killed them for entertainment.
Domitian: This Emperor persecuted them, but he was not nearly as sadistic. He did have some Christians killed. Other Christians he just had their property confiscated. He had scriptures and other Christian books burned. He had many Christians banished to the Island of Patmos.
These are facts about both the emperors found in both Christian and secular sources. When you look at these two it is easy to figure out who would have had John banished to the Island of Patmos. There is no reason to believe that Nero would have banished John to the island of Patmos when it does not fit his profile. He never banished them, he killed them for entertainment. Nor is there any reason to believe it would be Nero because there is not a single early source that ever mentions Nero sending any Christians to the Island of Patmos.
There is every reason to believe it would be Domitian. He did have some killed but there is no evidence that he enjoyed it or used it for entertainment. There are early sources showing him to be lenient on some Christians in only confiscating their property or burning their books. There are even sources telling of how he often had Christians banished to the Island of Patmos.
Emperor Nero died in 68 AD. Domitian became Emperor in 81 AD and died in 96 AD.
So you can decide for yourself. Do you believe against all of the evidence on these two emperors and say it was Nero who sent John to Patmos and he wrote the book before 70 AD? Or do you accept the facts and believe that since Domitian is the only one ever to be noted for banishing Christians to the Island, that it was probably Domitian who banished John to the Island as well? The vast majority of scholars agree it was Domitian.
To believe the preterist view of prophecies, you need to believe the vast majority of scholars are wrong, as well as go against common sense and believe Nero is the one who banished John to Patmos even though it goes against his profile and it fits Domitian's perfectly.
One thing I have found in my studying the Bible is that God is not always mysterious. In fact, once you understand the truth of God's word, you realize God makes a lot of sense. God's word has a lot of logic behind it.
