By Adi Schlebusch
In light of ongoing debates on Full or Unorthodox Preterism and The American Vision’s flirtation with this heresy, I thought it appropriate and timely to write something about the way we ought to understand apocalyptic and eschatological texts in Scripture. While I agree with Classical or Partial Preterist position that prophecies regarding the coming of the Antichrist and the great tribulation already find their first and foremost fulfillment in the first century A.D., I believe that the truly orthodox interpretative framework for understanding the apocalyptic and eschatological genre in Scripture is that which is commonly referred to as Idealism.
Idealism holds that apocalyptic texts such as those in the biblical books of Daniel and Revelation are not merely fulfilled in specific events or persons in history, but should rather be understood as primarily being symbolic narrative descriptions of the very nature of history itself, i.e. the conflict between good and evil or the Kingdom of God and the forces of Satan.[1]. R.J. Rushdoony, for example, interprets texts such as Revelation 4 as fundamentally being about the total sovereignty of God, from which
providential government and authority go forth from the Throne in an unbroken circle of dominion and light [and] … in terms of this, therefore, the expectation that history will culminate in the triumph of the Antichrist is not only a dualistic surrender of the material world to Satan, but also a direct offense against the announced power and supremacy of God in, through, and over all creation and history.[2]
In reference to Daniel’s fifth kingdom (Dan. 2:36-45), which supersedes the first four, Rushdoony also argues that it
succeeds where all its false messianic predecessors failed, so that any Christian concept of history which is defeatist or otherworldly stands under the condemnation of Daniel. The world is not merely a vale of soul-making, nor does it culminate in the sorry historical triumph of Antichrist as amillennial and premillennial interpretations would have it. The Fifth Monarchy succeeds not only in destroying its rivals, but also in accomplishing what they on false premises sought to do. The empires then, the modernists today, and the states of this age, are all in this one respect wiser than the church, in that they do not deny meaning or triumph to history, but seek it earnestly, if on false premises and in terms of autonomous man.[3]
This fifth kingdom to which the prophet Daniel refers, therefore signifies to the culmination of history in rule of Christ in his true eternal Messianic Kingdom which accomplishes to destroy and supersede all human-made and human-ruled predecessors. Texts such as these show how the destiny of the world – the eschaton, is teleologically rooted in Christ’s victory over the serpent (Genesis 3:15) as the purpose and ultimate end of all of world history. Apocalyptic texts such as those in the books of Daniel and Revelation, and also elsewhere in Scripture, offer us an infallible narrative description of the essence of history, and sanctions a distinct postmillennial eschatological optimism through a distinct narrative emphasis on the absolute and perpetual sovereignty of God. Only the Idealist framework recognizes the rhetorical appeal inherent to biblical eschatological narratives, namely to direct the reader to interpret past, present, and future in light of the end of world history and the purpose of creation itself: the glorification of the absolute and universal Lordship of Jesus Christ (Revelation 11:15).
Idealism recognizes that in biblical apocalyptic narratives there is no hard distinction between past, present, and future, but rather an orientation towards the present and the future in light of redemptive-historical revelation. This doesn't mean that there are no apocalyptic references to actual historical events such as the Great Tribulation or future events such as the Second Coming of Christ. Like Full Preterism, Radical Idealism is also a heresy. There are certainly historical and future events in biblical eschatological texts which evidently have a literal fulfillment at a given point in history, but the narratives, when seen as wholes, have a distinctly allegorical character. This is hinted at in I John 2:18, where the human author of the book of Revelation himself writes that "even now many antichrists have come," which points to the narrative interplay of past, present and future in inspired apocalyptic literature. Eschatological prophecies are being repeatedly and continually fulfilled throughout world history: the same prophecies which have been fulfilled in the past are being fulfilled right now and will continue to be fulfilled in future.
All of Scripture teaches a covenantal curse-and-blessing paradigm—something also confirmed by all of world history. Disobedience to God entails covenantal curses, while obedience leads to blessings. This covenantal reality is also very practical: true order, liberty, prosperity can only be simultaneously and harmoniously effectuated by means of obedience to God’s Law. Apocalyptic texts and eschatological narratives must therefore always be understood in light of the historical reality of the resurrection of Christ and his legitimate claim to universal Lordship as both Lawgiver and Redeemer—a Lordship that provides meaning and direction to all human participation in history. This logically entails that there can be no neutrality and no alternative to either accepting or rejecting that Lordship in all areas of life. As such, the covenantal paradigm inherent to creation itself as designed by God ensures the failure of all antichrists throughout history and amplifies that the victory of the one true Christ is inevitable and sure.
As such biblical apocalyptic narratives are directly relevant and applicable to all Christians regardless of our historical context. Because biblical eschatology unambiguously teaches that all projects aimed at usurping the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ will inevitably fail, Christians can and should always engage in all of our daily activities and the culture war in general with absolute confidence of thereby being instrumental in the coming victory of Christ our King. Biblical apocalyptic and eschatological texts teach us that this should be our ultimate focus in all of our engagements—every hour of every day.
The author is a senior researcher with the Pactum Institute.
[1] Brunt, John C. and Douglas R. Clark. Introducing the Bible: The Old Testament and Intertestamental Literature. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1997, 530.
[2] Rushdoony, R.J. Thy Kingdom Come: Studies in Daniel and Revelation. Vallecito, CA: Ross House, 2001, 131.
[3] Ibid., 18.