Views on the Tribulation

Dr. Couch, what are some of the views about the seven year tribulation?

ANSWER: There are a bunch of wrong views and then there is the right view, as taught by the orthodox Jews and Christ. And that is, the Messiah comes at the end of the tribulation to establish His earthly one thousand year kingdom Davidic rule on earth. The others are all wrong!

Reading the OT and the Gospels, one can see that the tribulation is an event that will fall upon the world and upon the nation of Israel. The church is never mentioned as going through this horrible period of worldwide wrath. Let's look at some of the views:

Postmillennial Tribulation: The church goes through the tribulation at the end the millennium. The church is the millennium or the kingdom. Walvoord notes: "It is a characteristic of postmillennialism that it does not attempt a literal interpretation of the Tribulation." And, he notes: "As illustrated in the writings of Charles Hodge, the postmil view considers the Tribulation a final stage of trouble for the church just preceding the grand climax of the triumph of the gospel, which is the kingdom."

Amillennial interpretation of the Tribulation. This view does not differ essentially from the postmil view, though it has a different theological context. The present age is regarded as the predicted millennium. The tribulation is said to precede the millennium. The tribulation is already past. Berkhof holds to a future tribulation, placing the fulfillment of Scripture dealing with the tribulation after the millennium.

Premillennial view of the tribulation. This is the correct view and it is consistent with literal interpretation. It is what the OT teaches and the Gospels also. This is what the orthodox Jews have taught throughout the last two thousand years. This is what dispensationalists realized the Bible was teaching when they saw the errors of amillennialism. This is so easy to defend it is not funny!

I have found through the years, however, that there are just a bunch of naysayers who want to deny the most truthful of views. They want to deny premillennialism and the pretribulational rapture of the church. Why? They just want to, though they really cannot defend their view! They hold to what I call the smorgasbord approach to doctrine! They come into the restaurant and see all the good food on the table, but over in the corner is a slop bucket. They gravitate to it rather than the roast beef and salad. They always go toward that which is not right, or is downright dumb! It seems to be automatic in their gene pool! I cannot figure it out!

Satan sees a weakness in the church. He brainwashes many teachers to gravitate to error. They are inspired by him, though they are not indwelt by him.

—Dr. Mal Couch (2/11)

Real and True Jews

Dr. Couch, what is a "real" or "true" Jew, as mentioned by some translations (such as the RSV) on Romans 2:28-29?  It would seem to me that a Jew is a Jew, and all Jews would be real or true by birth. ANSWER:  The translators of the NAS do not add the words "real" or "true" to the passage. It simply reads: "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not be the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."    The amillennial and covenant theologians wrongly think that Paul is saying that God is finished with the Jews as a people. But, they argue, that Gentiles are now Jews in spirit and have replaced Israel as the people of God.    But they completely miss Paul's point. This entire section begins with verse 17 where we see Paul is addressing the Jewish people. He starts off: "But if you bear the name Jew, and rely upon the Law and boast in God, ..." Paul continues the "You Jews ..." through almost the entire section. "You who boast in the Law ..." "Circumcision is of value, if you ..." Paul continues his argument though he changes to the third person from verses 27-29, but his point is the same.    The Jews were trying to say they were favored with God simply because they were Jews by birth. This is not true. They had to be "believing Jews," as Jews who were trusting in God, and, who were embracing Christ when they realized that He was their Messiah, and that He had died for their sins. Otherwise, simply being a Jew by birth, and being circumcised as a Jew, meant nothing!    Circumcision was of value if they kept the Law. If they did not keep the Law, but were transgressors, then "your circumcision meant nothing … it became uncircumcision" (v. 25). The physical Jew had to be a believing Jew, "one inwardly" (v. 29) and one who was circumcised in the heart not simply outwardly.    God still has promises and plans for the physical Jew, the one who is of the generation of Jews. But too, they had to be believing Jews, if not, they were not saved. There are still advantages for the people of Israel (3:1-2) but if they do not trust God "their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it?" (v. 3).  No, of course not! "May it never be!" (v. 4).    Paul makes an important and final point on the subject in 11:28. "From the standpoint of the gospel they (the Jews) are enemies (the Jews) for your sake (the Gentiles), but from the standpoint of God's choice (His election) they (the Jews) are beloved (in His eyes) for the sake of the (Patriarchal) fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob); for the gifts (of God) and (His) calling (His election) are irrevocable (unchangeable)."    God has called forth the Jews for His purposes and He will not go back on His promises!    Woodrow Kroll adds:    "Paul says that two things are necessary to be truly Jewish: (1) to be born of Abraham through Isaac (that circumcision that is outward in the flesh); and (2) to be spiritually in tune with Abraham's God (that circumcision that is inward in the heart or spirit). As the apostle Paul is using the word, no one can claim to be Jewish who is not born of Abraham through his son Isaac. But to the requirement of the circumcision of the heart. … The only true Jew is one who is a Jew by race and a believer by God's grace. Thus Paul concludes that mere physical birth alone cannot make a Jew righteous." (Mal Couch, gen. ed. The Book of Romans. Woodrow Kroll. AMG, 35-36)    Thanks for asking.    Dr. Mal Couch (12/10)

What Will Happen to the Nations Surrounding Israel?

Dr. Couch, what is going to happen to the nations surrounding Israel who hate the Jews and want them destroyed? Even the lost world today knows that something will happen soon in the Middle East that will throw the world into terrible confusion and danger. So where is it all going with these antagonistic nations? 

 

   God is going to have the last say, and it’s all recorded in the prophetic Scriptures. For example, read Ezekiel 28:24-26. The passage will knock you over! 

    God makes it clear that He will "execute judgments upon all who scorn [the Jews], this is, those who live round about them" (v. 26). This will of course be at the end of the tribulation when the second coming takes place and Christ comes back to judge the nations (Matt. 25) and begins His earthly Davidic reign that will last for one thousand years! 

    Even though he usually interprets OT prophecies as if they are about the church age, amillennialist and allegorical guy, Charles Ellicott, has to fess up and admit the passage is about the return of the Jews to their promised land. He writes:

The course of God’s providence is very distinctly marked out in these verses of promise. The judgment upon Judah has already come, in the fall of their holy city and the captivity of the people. … Then comes the promise of the return, and the judgment of the ungodly enemies who have despised Judah (verse 26). This, too, shall be accomplished in its time, and then peace and prosperity shall return to Israel. The immediate point of this prophecy is the return of the Jews to their own land.

    When the day of the millennial blessing arrives "there will be no more for the house of Israel a prickling brier or a painful thorn from any [of the nations] round about them who scorned them; then they [those nations] will know that I am the Lord God" (v. 24). 

    God will then "gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered." His holiness will be visible "in the sight of the nations, they [the Jews] will live in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob" (v. 25). "They will live securely." 

    In remembering His covenant forever (the Abrahamic covenant) "He will make known to His people (the Jews) the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations" (Psa. 111:5b-6). 

    On Ezekiel 28:24-26 Unger writes that the Jews will be regathered

at the end time for Kingdom blessing, converted Israel (Rom. 11:26) will live securely in the Holy Land (Jer. 23:6; Ezek. 34:25-28; 38:8) and prosper in the land (Jer. 32:15; Amos 9:13-14) when the Lord executes judgments upon their enemies.

    It is such a blessing to take the Word of God at face value and with a normal and literal interpretation. Preterism and amillennialism actually goes up in smoke when you do that! And it is so clear to see that the Lord has a distinct plan and purpose for Israel and then for the church! I feel sorry for those who are partially blinded as to what the entire Bible is teaching! 

Thanks for asking.

Dr. Mal Couch

Would You Recommend George N. H. Peters’ "The Theocratic Kingdom"

Dr. Couch, would you recommend George N. H. Peters’ "The Theocratic Kingdom"? 

 

    ANSWER: This is the classic work that destroys amillennialism, so if amils do not want to be convinced please do not read his Theocratic Kingdom! 

    Peters (1825-1909) was an amil Lutheran pastor but he realized something was wrong with amil eschatology. He began to go to libraries (maybe a hundred before he finished) and read everything he could o­n prophecy. Being poor, he wrote down notes o­n paper sacks. He ended up with hundreds of "Propositions" in 2,100 pages, in three volumes. No o­ne can fight against his historical and doctrinal proof of premillennialism and literal interpretation of the prophetic Word. 

    Peters’ amil allegorizing pastor friends turned against him, being very ignorant of Bible prophecy and having sold out to allegorical interpretation. Peters was compelled to publish his work. In the introduction he wrote:

I am setting forth the Millenarian views of the ancient and modern believers and [hope to be] paving the way for a more strict and consistent interpretation of the kingdom, this itself would already be sufficient justification for its publication.

    Taking an advanced course on prophecy in graduate school I chose as my class project to summarize his hundreds and hundreds of Propositions. There is no question of the amil foolishness as exposed by Peters, who was surrounded by amils, and who was previously o­ne himself. Needless to say I got an A in the course! If you want to get the amillennial vs premillennial issue settled biblically you need Peters! It is presently published by Kregel. 

    Thanks for asking.

    Dr. Mal Couch