11/13/2024
Over the past few months, I have begun a personal study wherein I endeavor to read through all thirty-eight volumes of the early church fathers 100-800 A.D. I have completed the first two centuries and have learned a wealth of knowledge on church history, apologetics, and other aspects of theology. I am stunned by how far back orthodox theology goes. All the way back to the first century. The works of Justyn Martyr (100-165 A.D.) who being a Greek philosopher/later convert trained in various Greek schools of thought demonstrated how a pure biblical world view will reduce all other world views to absurdity. He even recounts his own conversion experience at the hands of an unknown Christian that he encountered walking along the beach. This unknown Christian so obliterated and befuddled Justyn’s world view that Justyn was forced to abandon all his years of learning and embrace the Christian faith thus becoming the first apologist on known record.
During my adventure I was surprised at the very early development of dispensational eschatology. Thus far for the first two hundred years eschatology is completely dispensational with a distant fulfilment to the early church. All understood the tribulation and the advent of antichrist to be in the future. However, it was Irenaeus (130-202 A.D.) who dates the book of revelation near the end of the reign of Domitian who reigned 81-96 A.D. In book five of against heresies it is Irenaeus (chapters 24-34) who displays the contemporary understanding of eschatology of the 1rst and 2nd century church. He even affirms that what he received his learning from those who were taught by the apostles themselves.
Here is a listed summary of what was commonly understood.
1. Allegorizing the prophecies will ultimately produce inconsistencies.
2. The events of bible prophecy can only be fulfilled and known in their entirety when they are near fulfilment. According to Irenaeus it would not be until the end of the six thousandth year of creation, the dissolution of Rome, the ten toes and ten horns of Daniel that the conditions will be right.
3. Regarding Antichrist. He was yet future. The Ability to decipher 666 will be readily known for those believers who will need to be able to do so for their salvation survival. Antichrist will present himself as a protector of the oppressed and will essentially destroy the church. The little horn of Daniel 7 and 8 both refer to antichrist. Those who would try to apply 666 prematurely or apply bible prophecies without all of the parts being in place risk being counted amount false teachers or false prophets.
4. The Rise of Antichrist and the great apostasy come before the resurrection and separation of those counted worthy who do the will of the father.
5. The tribulation is 3.5 years and followed by a period of worldwide judgement.
6. The world will not be annihilated. it will be purged of the effects of sin and restored to its pre fall condition.
For those who want to force either a preterist or historical view lets be clear. Those who (from a historical/literary perspective) were closest to the events of 70 A.D. make no mention of events or people of 70 A.D. as having anything to do with the book of revelation or most of a multitude of other prophecies. At best the preterist and historicist are ignorant and at worst dishonest.
