If the interpretation is limited to Pilate and Herod, why do the “Kings of the earth” show up again at the parousia to resist Jesus?(Rev 19:19)- I know that Acts 4 teaches us that it fulfills Pilate and Herod, buut there is also an eschatological fulfillment.
I know that Acts 4 teaches us that it fulfills Pilate and Herod, buut there is also an eschatological fulfillment.
Says who?
I think you missed the point of the objection. The passage clearly refers to Jesus Christ, to gratuitously replace a prophecy about our LORD with a people who have, by definition, rejected our LORD is a bridge too far. You will need to show where in Scripture replacing Christ with sinners is demonstrated.
I am assuming that as a pastor, and a prophecy enthusiast, you are all too well familiar with OT types where the type foreshadows our LORD. In that you should know that our LORD never foreshadows a type which is what you are more than suggesting here.
Besides, in your reference to "kings" there are only six nations with absolute monarchies, none of them in the news regarding any "raging" against Israel nor "raging" in general. In fact, it is the nations without monarchies, constitutional or absolute, that would fall under any loose definition of "raging". Egypt is technically a military junta while no one has a clue as to what Libya is now but it is quite certain there won't be a monarchy - my guess, most likely a copy of Egypt.
, why do the “Kings of the earth” show up again at the parousia to resist Jesus?(Rev 19:19)
Do you really want to have a non-Dispensational discussion on the various interpretations of that passage? (I'm game).
But the major problem you have with that view is that it flies in total conflict with 2 Peter 3:10 where the coming of the LORD "as a thief in the night" doesn't have a "rapture", "seven year tribulation", a "thousand years of earthly rule" nor the mother of all wars jammed in between it and "heavens..the elements..the earth and the works...will be burned up." In fact, the repeating of the idea that we are looking for the hasting of that day of Judgment in the paragraph that follows should make things quite clear that Peter didn't see 1007 years of strife immediately following a "rapture". Our LORD's many parables on that matter make it look like we are living our days like the days of Noah or Lot and next thing is this Divine Judgment applied to the world - no dragging on of a pointless existence the glorified and perfected literally rubbing elbows with the corrupt, mortal and reprobate.
I do agree strongly with you that for a short period of time immediately preceding the Parousia it is going to become very weird and profoundly evil. How we both come to that conclusion is wildly different even though we claim literally the same source texts.
Again, it is painful to see teachings that attempt to make our LORD a type to foreshadow the profane and by your own doctrines a people under God's Judgment.