Victorious Eschatology: A Partial Preterist View Paperback – December 4, 2007

I have studied the preterist and futuristic view in Matthew 23-25 for years. As a long time student of hermeneutics, a PhD scientist and a member of an of Editorial board for a scientific journal, my job is to look at both sides of an issue and report the good with the bad. So when I read a book like Victorious Eschatology I am looking for bias and presupposition that can skew the truth.I was very impressed with the authors integrity in this book. I thought they did a great job of looking at the evidence like a detective, lawyer, judge and a scientist. Though some of their presentations has been written in past books, their systematic and meta-analysis approach was quite impressive.One of my main concerns with preterist doctrine is the leaning and language of replacement theology and the appearance of anti-Semitic sentiment. For me, Romans 11 does not complete my write-off the Jews, and I have never liked the replacement theology interpretation as a whole. However, I did like the authors handling of this subject. The authors were very sensitive to this issue and I somewhat agreed with most of their conclusions, though I admit I am a bit biased for Israel.For me, the partial preterist approach presented in this book was a well balanced and fascinating approach for end-times theology. I also agree with the authors that it’s essential to include historical data along with scripture and the authors did a good job of presenting important information to support their view. Where would we be without the Works of Flavius Josephus? My problem with the futuristic approach of end-times theology it’s so much speculation. It can lead and does lead too so much error. The authors really went into some depth on this issue. Honestly, all the 20th century predictions of the beast, false prophets and end-times dates made Christianity look like a joke in my circles. The list of bad guys (virtually never a woman) would be comical if it didn’t effect so many people beliefs.I did have one small objection with their analysis of the 70AD vs 95AD writing of Revelation. They left out what I considered some important details to prove their conclusion, but Kenneth Gentry’s book ‘Before Jerusalem Fell’ fills in some of the dating gaps. It’s a very important issue because the evidence stands or falls on the presupposition that Revelation was written before 70AD. Their conclusion that Revelation was written before 70AD, and that most of Matthew 24 was speaking about the destruction of Temple in 70AD is a theological game changer. You will never read the second coming, the beast, the false prophet and last days verbiage the same way again—and truly the title of this book will resonate like you never heard or believed before.I applaud the authors for their honest and forthright work. Every Christian and bible student should read this book. But one must read this information with an open mind and lay down presuppositions.Dr. David Tacha

I first read my bible from cover to cover when I was seven years old, and read it often as a young teenager as well. The book of Revelation and certain other passages like Matthew 24 seemed impossible to understand. Of course I was exposed to the popular interpretations of them, and assumed to some degree that parts of those interpretations were true and we would have a terrible time of tribulation, ect. But so much of what I heard popular teachers explain made no sense whatsoever. In fact, I wondered how they got parts of their tales from the Bible. After all, the word "antichrist" wasn't even in the book of Revelation! I had just about given up on hoping to be able to understand the book of Revelation, and forgotten about it.I also loved to read the Prophets and Psalms as a young person, and was confused by the contradiction between very victorious passages in books like Psalms and Isaiah about the Lord's glory filling the earth, and the righteous inheriting the land, but the wicked being cut off. (Psalm 37) These passages seemed to me to contradict the book of Revelation and other passages that I honestly really didn't understand.This book was for me a great first presentation of a view that has been around for much longer than today's popular fairy tales, and just completely made sense in so many ways. It was based on reasonable methods of interpretation and not on wild speculation that completely ignored clear historical fulfillments of prophecy and clearly literal scriptural statements like "Surely, all these things will take place before this generation passes away" and "Do not seal up the words of this book because these things are about to take place very soon." I especially liked the quotes from historical figures and church fathers about the book of Revelation. Of course the book didn't answer all of my questions(no one book could), and I don't feel like I understand everything yet! But I do understand so much that I never heard a sensible explanation about before, and I can say that most of the book of Revelation makes sense to me know.

Excellent! Explanations backed by scripture in an easy to read format!

This was an exciting new read. I am amazed at how much modern, mainstream, end time prophesy and eschatology presupposes the Apostle John wrote the revelation from the Isle of Patmos at the end his life around 95 AD. That is an assumed fact which dominates 99% of all Bible interpretation of Matthew 24, Luke 21, 2 Thessalonians 2 and the book of Revelation. The authors make a mostly compelling case for looking at some early historians, perhaps not in the mainstream, who opined John got the revelation much earlier, perhaps during Nero's rule over the wicked Roman world empire. I will admit a few of Revelation's specific events described by John during a heavenly (spiritual) view could use a bit more elaboration, and were a bit curt and not fully developed to my liking, but nonetheless I did find most of Matthew 24 traditional future "great tribulation" theory well debunked with the authors' elaboration of the details of the 42 month siege and war that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and Herod's temple. The book stuck with me. I will admit it dominated my thoughts and meditations. DId it uplift and glorify the Lord Jesus? Yes. Was the authors' theory consistent with Scripture? Yes. Did it set well in my spirit (where the Holy Spirit dwells)? Yes. These are the three benchmarks I look for in any new or unique doctrine or interpretation. I recommend the book for all. I would encourage the writers in a third edition to more fully develop some of the already past theories in Revelation and maybe a few more actual excerpts from the early historians. Despite these criticisms (I only endeavor to be objective), I give the book 5 stars. This is a must-read.

What a great find this book is! Completely opens your eyes to scripture in a way that is logical and clear to understand. It's liberating and exciting when passages you've always been taught one way get explained within first century context, history with Jewish idioms, etc. Everything makes so much more sense and removes the fear of the "end days" that the popular end-times doctrines teach. Totally worthwhile purchase.

like many others I grew up in futurist pentecostal environment, always uneasy about an eschatology which dint quite make sense but tended to 'pass' on ityand move onto other things. this book changed my mind and opened me up to a prospective which I feel is biblical and just 'fits'. recommended greatly.

I met Harold Eberle personaly and heard him teach on several subjects and I must say that he is not only a good theologian but he is also living the kingdom of god. So he talks and walks and that makes him very valuable. The view of a victorious eschatology is something that was on my heart even before I read this book but as I read it it got reaffirmed.

This book entirely changed my theology. When I read it the first time, I wasn't sure if I agreed with the teachings, but on the second read, I came to the conclusion that it is true, and biblical. The authors are very scripturally based, so it is hard to argue with.

totally love this awesome book, gives you a fundamental scriptural understanding about the END-times and why we believe what and what not.... HIGHLY recommended!