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Old Dispensationalists Never Die . . . And They Never Seem to Fade Away . . .
Riddleblog ^ | 8/3/2007 | Kim Riddlebarger

Posted on 08/09/2007 7:47:51 AM PDT by topcat54

I was making my semi-annual trip through the local Christian bookstore (actually, a trinket store) when I saw the third reincarnation of John F. Walvoord's best-seller Armageddon, Oil and the Middle East. Originally published back in 1974 by Zondervan, the book was re-issued with a snazzy new cover after Operation Desert Storm in 1990.

Lo and behold, here it was again on the shelves of a Christian bookstore! This time published by Tyndale with an update (apparently) by Mark Hitchcock. I refused to buy it (since I've already purchased the two prior incarnations), so I can't tell you what has been updated. But the title says it all. Now that Saddam Hussein is pushing up daisies somewhere near Tikrit, the focus switches from a Soviet-Arab invasion of Israel and a revived Babylonian empire, to a more general Muslim threat to Israel and the new foil of dispensational end-times theorizing--Islamic terrorism.

Dr. Walvoord, who died in 2002 and now a member of the church triumphant, obviously, was not able to contribute to the new edition.

The shamelessness with which books like this can be corrected, updated and then republished with new covers and a new chapter or two, only to sell a gazillion more copies, is simply breathtaking. Doesn't it trouble people that the 1974 edition and the 1990 edition got many things wrong? I thought if we interpreted the Bible "literally" all the mysteries regarding the end-times would be cleared up.

The Soviet Union no longer exists . . . Saddam Hussein is dead . . . Militant Islam is the new menace from the east (displacing Communism and a revived Babylonian empire). Barring the return of our blessed Savior, I suspect another edition, with another new cover, is a mere ten years away. I can only imagine how the cover art and title will be tweaked this time.

As one who has written two books on eschatology, let me just say, if you see a new edition of A Case for Amillennialism or Man of Sin, in which my exegesis is "updated and corrected" to explain an as yet unforeseen world event that I failed to predict, don't buy it. It means I didn't know what I was talking about!

That being said, I am now hard at work on an expanded eschatology text which will deal with a broader range of eschatological issues, including preterism and postmillennialism. We do need a Reformed/covenantal/amillennial equivalent of the venerable J. Dwight Pentecost's Things to Come. Lord willing, this will come to fruition . . .


TOPICS: Theology
KEYWORDS: dispensationalism
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While I appreciate Dr. Riddlebarger's response to dispensational errors, I take his comments about postmillennialism and "amillennialism=reformed eschatology" with a grain of salt. The reformed confessions on this subject are broader than he may care to admit.
1 posted on 08/09/2007 7:47:56 AM PDT by topcat54
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To: ItsOurTimeNow; HarleyD; suzyjaruki; nobdysfool; jkl1122; Calvinist_Dark_Lord; Dr. Eckleburg; ...
Reformed Eschatology Ping List (REPL)

"For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (Luke 21:22)

2 posted on 08/09/2007 7:49:27 AM PDT by topcat54 ("... knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1:3))
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To: topcat54
Every generation for the past two thousand years saw their times as the end times and had 100% proof(sic) that they had evidence of every word in Revelation being fulfilled in their time. I see no difference in them and the current dispensationalists, especially as the modern ones seem to change their evidence on a yearly basis to fit whomever the foe is at the time.

I guess I fit into the category of a believer in preteristic eschatology (that most, if not all of Revelation was written about contemporary events to the author.)

3 posted on 08/09/2007 7:52:34 AM PDT by mnehring (Ron Paul is as much of a Constitutionalist as Fred Phelps is a Christian)
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To: topcat54

I actually enjoy sequals. Ideas for future books:
Late Great Planet Earth-Still Kickin.
Late Great Planet Earth- What went wrong?


4 posted on 08/09/2007 8:26:18 AM PDT by Augustinian monk (Peace if possible, truth at all costs- Martin Luther)
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To: topcat54

Pre-Mil, Pre-Trib INTREP


5 posted on 08/09/2007 8:55:57 AM PDT by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: Augustinian monk
Late Great Planet Earth-Still Kickin.

Choose your own Adventure:Late Great Planet Earth.

6 posted on 08/09/2007 9:14:43 AM PDT by Lee N. Field ("Dispensationalism -- threat or menace?")
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To: Lee N. Field
Choose your own Adventure: Late Great Planet Earth.

Hal Lindsey's There's A New Wife Coming

7 posted on 08/09/2007 9:29:26 AM PDT by Alex Murphy (As heard on the Amish Radio Network! http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1675029/posts)
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To: LiteKeeper

Should be a short book: “Whatever, whatever, whatever, Jesus comes back, whatever.”

On all OT prophecies: “Details, schmetails.”


8 posted on 08/09/2007 9:31:59 AM PDT by BibChr ("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
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To: BibChr

Huh?


9 posted on 08/09/2007 9:36:35 AM PDT by LiteKeeper (Beware the secularization of America; the Islamization of Eurabia)
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To: BibChr; LiteKeeper; Lee N. Field; Alex Murphy
Should be a short book: “Whatever, whatever, whatever, Jesus comes back, whatever.”

At least there won’t be any need for revisions.

On all OT prophecies: “Details, schmetails.”

Right. What difference do details make if all these prophecy gurus can change the interpretation every few years to suit current events?

We just give a chuckle every time one of these guys cries out “literal hermeneutic”.

10 posted on 08/09/2007 9:45:44 AM PDT by topcat54 ("... knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1:3))
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To: Lee N. Field

I loved those books as a kid.


11 posted on 08/09/2007 9:47:48 AM PDT by Augustinian monk (Peace if possible, truth at all costs- Martin Luther)
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To: topcat54
I take his comments about postmillennialism and "amillennialism=reformed eschatology" with a grain of salt.

A-mil is the traditional reformed view, although post-mil and historic pre-mil are acceptable under the confessions. I'd have to see what he actually writes to know whether or not I agree with his conclusions.

12 posted on 08/09/2007 10:23:27 AM PDT by PAR35
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To: BibChr; P-Marlowe

"I repeat, there is no imminent return, everything is getting better." —American Vision Information Minister Gary DeMar, (AKA Don't worry/Be happy Gary")

Riddleblog Information Minister Kim Riddlebarger

"The information I received from American Vision was more precise and comprehensive than the information I got from the Bible. I was sincere in everything I said, even just before the imminent return." "The information was correct, but the interpretations were not," he said. "I did my duty up to the last minute." [the rapture was a] "very difficult time. Not just on one man, but on all."

13 posted on 08/09/2007 10:41:02 AM PDT by blue-duncan
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To: LiteKeeper

Should be a short book: “Whatever, whatever, whatever, Jesus comes back, whatever.”

On all OT prophecies: “Details, schmetails.”


14 posted on 08/09/2007 10:48:24 AM PDT by BibChr ("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
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To: topcat54; All

Given Calvinists sensibilities and ???willful??? (how can THAT be???) blindness about such matters, the following post is not directed to them. They can certainly attempt to snooze on through prophetically unfolding events as long as they can get away with it.

Dr. Walvoord’s excellent

EVERY PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE

is a wonderful resource for those unallergic to the Biblical facts of END TIMES issues, dyanmics, events.

Worth the time considering Israel becoming a nation again in 1948 as Biblically predicted.

Add in the MARK OF THE BEAST already being required by some employers for access to high security areas . . .

All the nations of the world finding Jerusalem a heavy burden around their necks . . .

The growing drama and unprecedented nature of VARIOUS signs in the heavens . . .

The looming one world government . . .

The unprecedented expansion and exchange of knowledge world wide . . .

The unprecedented expansion of rapid travel world wide . . .

The massively global effectiveness of the globalists defining evil as good and good as evil . . .

The looming completion of the task of communicating the Gospel to every people group on the planet within the next 12-25 years . . . likely within the next 12 . . .


15 posted on 08/09/2007 10:57:40 AM PDT by Quix (GOD ALONE IS GOD; WORTHY; PAID THE PRICE; IS COMING AGAIN; KNOWS ALL; IS LOVING; IS ALTOGETHER GOOD)
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To: Quix

Not all premill beleive in selling books that set dates, etc.


16 posted on 08/09/2007 11:15:01 AM PDT by Augustinian monk (Peace if possible, truth at all costs- Martin Luther)
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To: blue-duncan; BibChr; P-Marlowe; Lee N. Field; Alex Murphy; Augustinian monk

The names and faces have been changing for the pop prophecy gurus for 4 decades now (longer if you count all the pre-WWII old-school Scofield dispensationalists).

Don’t you guys ever get tired of having to reinvent your eschatology every time the folks at the Jerusalem Times write another essay? Or John Hagee gets another vision?

BTW, is that a “horse” over the shoulder of you rather Arab-looking friend? Or have you given up on a “literal hermeneutic”?


17 posted on 08/09/2007 11:23:56 AM PDT by topcat54 ("... knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1:3))
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To: PAR35
A-mil is the traditional reformed view,

Some folks would like us to all believe that. The evidence is far less conclusive than the assertion.

18 posted on 08/09/2007 11:26:33 AM PDT by topcat54 ("... knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1:3))
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To: blue-duncan

An advantage of the CT/amil view is that, if you think Bible prophecy is meaningless, you’re never wrong. (Or won’t ever admit you’re wrong.)

A disadvantage is that it’s indistinguishable from lazy unbelief.


19 posted on 08/09/2007 11:41:11 AM PDT by BibChr ("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
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To: BibChr; blue-duncan

And the advantage of the dispensational view is that you probably be dead before you can be proven wrong, and no one will really care cuz the next new exciting theory of Israel’s future will already be turned into the best-selling fiction series.

Don’t you feel bad that “serious” dispensationalists like John MacArthur and the new breed at Dallas Seminary have to take a back seat to the crackpots with their ever-changing view of “end times”?


20 posted on 08/09/2007 11:48:06 AM PDT by topcat54 ("... knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." (James 1:3))
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