I do find the historicist position confusing because it still requires matching headlines to scripture it seems.
Well, it doesn't really necessitate us looking for headlines because complete fulfillment means dwelling with The Living God on earth. It's true that (a) many passages have been fulfilled before we were even born. But we also know that (b) if The Almighty and His Son aren't here then more remains to be fulfilled because
They are the end of prophecy. It was written that they're supposed to dwell with us on earth.
The historicist view of eschatology follows the understanding that The Almighty is sovereign and is executing His plan across ALL human history until They are here, not just up to 70 AD; and that the book of Revelation is the portion of that plan that covers from ascension of Messiah approx 2000 years ago to descension of Messiah when He comes to crush the nations and rule.
If preterism = All is fulfilled in 70 AD...
...and Futurism = All will be fulfilled sometime in the future...
Then Historicism = Some were fulfilled in 70 AD, some are being fulfilled in our lifetime, and the rest will be fulfilled sometime in the future.
Now beyond this foundation, you'll have historicists differing in eschatological interpretations as many do within other views..
I cannot see how Jesus did not fulfill all the promises made to Israel in the OT especially when reads the Book written to the Hebrews.
There are a few ways...
1.
Hebrews 8:8-12 references the promise made in
Jeremiah 31:34 which includes:
- Putting His laws in their minds
- Writing His laws on their hearts
- Teaching/education about The Almighty will
no longer be necessary because all will know Him (i.e., laws in heart & mind)
- Their sins will be forgiven and forgotten
Question: Is the bible taught today? Are there still seminaries and bible colleges? Are there weekly sermons and lessons preached? Must we still study the scriptures daily?
If the answer is "yes" then the complete fulfillment of the above promise hasn't happened yet. The Son has always known The Father and the law is already in His heart and mind. The promise is that
His people will know Him so well they will not need to be taught about Him. The Messiah sacrificed Himself for sin but The Word/The Law hasn't been written on hearts yet not until the fulfillment of
Ezekiel 36:27 when The Messiah covenants with the many when He returns.
Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
When He came the first time He covenanted with the few as "firstfruits". The greater harvest waits for the second outpouring of His Spirit.
2.
Hebrews says that the Messiah is the mediator of this new covenant (i.e., He facilitates it as High Priest), but Israel and Judah were specifically promised to receive and experience it. Yet as a punishment for rejecting the Messiah, they were scattered and caused to forget who they were and worship false gods (i.e. false religions). So the new covenant was offered to Gentiles, but both passages say the recipients of this promise are Israel (northern house) and Judah (southern house).
3.
The writer of Hebrews 9 details how the first part of the ritual of Atonement (
Leviticus 16) has been fulfilled in Messiah but never describes how the second part is fulfilled.
Then Hebrews 9:27 describes two distinct works with a promise for the second work:
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ [first work] was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but [second work] to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
Christ was offered (past tense)...and He "will appear" (future tense) to bring...
I may have asked this but I could not find your response, so not sure, but who is natural Israel?
Natural Israel
- 10 tribes (who are not Jews because Jews are from Judah)
- 2 tribes (who are Jews and Bejaminites)
Scripture says they would be:
- Scattered
- Forget they are Israel
- Worship false gods (i.e., follow false religions)
- Poor
- Innumerable (
Hosea 1:10) not small in number
- Would be gathered by Messiah from the following areas: Assyria, Egypt, Cush/Ethiopia, Elam, Shinar/Babylonia, Hamath, and the islands (
Isaiah 11:11)
So there's a high probability that
some (not all) of them are:
- Palestinians
- Iranians
- Iraqis
- Egyptians (Mizrahi Jews)
- Africans (Ethiopian Jews)
- Syrians
- Filipinos
Those who believe they are natural Israel are Gentiles and those who have been told they are the worst of Gentiles and enemies of God are natural Israel. In other words, the two groups are flipped.
Hosea 1:10
Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, ‘Ye are not My people,’ there it shall be said unto them, ‘Ye are the sons of the living God.’
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