Originally published in "The Lord's Coming Herald & Wesleyan Bible Prophecy Advocate," Fall Edition 2004
New Testament End-time Prophecies Fulfilled In Modern Times
Here are two prominent New Testament end-time prophecies that have been fulfilled through the rise of Darbyism in our modern times.
The first is found in Revelation 11:7-10. There we see the two witnesses of God, the true Church of Jesus Christ, being killed by the Beast in old Jerusalem. Now Christians are citizens of the new heavenly Jerusalem, they have no business returning to the earthly old one (Galatians 4:24-26). Throughout the 1,260 day ages of the last half of Daniel's 70th week, as long as the Christian church has maintained her authentic, primitive testimony to the Christ, she has been invincible (verses 5-6). At the end of the age, however, the witnesses of God will uncharacteristically "finish their testimony" (verse 7a), and, as a result thereby, they will be overcome (spiritually speaking, of course) by Satan, the unleashed Beast in old Jerusalem (compare Revelation 11:7ff. with 20:7-9).
Now this prophecy has been fulfilled in modern times under the auspices of the theory of dispensational premillennialism. whereby the church has returned to Judaism in its ideology, backslid from its testimony to the truth concerning the Messiah's present reign and kingdom, and been overcome by the ravages of antinomianism. In spite of the antinomian church's crucifixion, however, there will be a great revival at the very end, when God will bring His true people back to life (see verses 8-12)!
The second New Testament prophecy fulfilled in our modern times is found in II Thessalonians chapter 2. There we read about a great "falling away" that will take place before Christ returns (verse 3). That falling away will culminate in the man of lawlessness being revealed, sitting in the temple of God (verse 4).
Darbyites say that this refers to what the Antichrist does in some rebuilt Jewish temple in the middle of some future seven year great tribulation period after the church is raptured. None of that future seven year/Antichrist peace deal making and breaking preconception is specified in the text of II Thessalonians chapter 2 itself, however. Where does the book of II Thessalonians say anything about seven years?
The man of lawlessness is not personal Antichrist, friend, it is antinomianism, which means "lawlessness." The "temple" is the New Testament church of the living God. This prophecy is talking about the great falling away that happens within the church, not after some fictional secret pretribulation rapture, but before the Lord returns! Antinomianism will triumph in the church of God before Christ returns! It will "sit" or become entrenched there, meaning the church will be wholly given over to it.
Daniel Steele called the big "D" theory "antinomianism
revived," and said that it would produce apostasy in Christian churches. How
does it do this? By returning the church to Judaism, first, in terms of
ideology. And once the church returns to Judaism in terms of ideology, the
problem of Phariseeism thereafter soon arises. The religious masses, in turn,
react to Phariseeism, most often, by going worldly, or into antinomianism.
Phariseeism is a problem of Judaism, dear friend, and not a problem that is germane to Christianity! Get out of Judaism, and return to Christianity, and you will solve the problem of Phariseeism! Nobody needs to blindly over-react by going worldly! Truly God's people are being destroyed today, as never before, for lack of knowledge!
Now, is "antinomianism revived" "sitting" in most of what is supposed to be the so-called biblical fundamentalist church-world of America today? Why, don't you know? The more "fundamental" you go in the church-world of our land today, the more you find the prejudice entrenched that, those who don't believe that dispensationalism is the gospel truth, REALLY don't believe the Bible! Antinomianism is indeed "entrenched"--the man of lawlessness is "sitting" in the Church of the living God, today, as never before
How do we know this? Just try confronting, conflicting, or opposing dispensational premillennialism in those circles that consider themselves to be the most "fundamental" in the church-world today, and see how far you get. Believe me, the theory is "entrenched," it is "sitting" smugly as divine savior/king in the church-world today, and it will not be easily dislodged. Its grip on power is here to stay. Folks enamored with Darbyite distinctives will not voluntarily or easily give up their fables. By this we know that the man of lawlessness (antinomian apostasy) has been revealed! You can know it too, if you simply get your moral and spiritual eyes open.
Surely, with the holy prophetic Scripture being so fulfilled as we can now see plainly that it is, the second coming of Jesus Christ is drawing nigh! The witnesses have finished their testimony, and are being slain by the ravages of the Devil in the article of their returning to old Jerusalem--the great "falling away" is now upon us. What remains is judgment upon Babylon, to be followed immediately by the apocalyptic return of Jesus Christ to deliver up His kingdom of redemption, and to usher in the eternal state.
Now "be ye also ready" by staying out of the great antinomian apostasy of these last days, and by keeping your testimony to the biblical Christ and the biblical way of salvation that he has come to establish. "In such an hour as we think not"--that is, in such an hour as we are at "loose moorings" from all of this realism--"the Son of man cometh!"
Antinomians wake up! Plow up the fallow ground, and seek the Lord! Prepare to meet thy God! Babylon is about to fall! The man of lawlessness is about to be ousted from the temple of the Living God! All who are deceived by him, and under his dominion, are about to burn. God is getting ready to gather in the harvest. Let us all determine to be among his jewels (Malachi 3:17)
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