Let’s walk through the issues, point by point, in casual and clear terms:
1. Yes, we believe much prophecy is already fulfilled—but that’s not a problem.
Partial preterism says that most of the judgment prophecies (especially in Matthew 24, Daniel, and Revelation 6–19) were fulfilled in the first century, particularly in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This isn’t theological guesswork—it’s based on what Jesus Himself said:
“This generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” — Matthew 24:34
It would be strange if Jesus meant a future generation thousands of years later. Contextually, He was warning His own generation—and true enough, that warning came to pass within 40 years. That’s not twisting Scripture. That’s taking Jesus at His word.
2. Symbolism isn’t inconsistency—it’s the nature of apocalyptic writing.
The GotQuestions article says we’re being inconsistent because we take Revelation 6–18 symbolically, but then take Revelation 19 or 21 more literally. But anyone who studies apocalyptic literature knows that this genre is loaded with symbolism. That’s not a preterist quirk—it’s how Jewish apocalyptic writing works.
For example:
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The sun going dark, stars falling, etc. (Matt. 24:29) sounds cosmic, but those are common Old Testament symbols for political upheaval and divine judgment. Just read Isaiah 13 or Ezekiel 32—they use the same language when God judges nations like Babylon or Egypt.
Partial preterists simply ask: Why apply these symbols literally in Revelation or Matthew 24, when the Old Testament already showed us how to understand them? That’s not cherry-picking—that’s being consistent with the Bible’s own patterns.
3. Jesus did come in judgment in AD 70, but not bodily yet.
This is where many people misunderstand partial preterism. We’re not saying Jesus returned physically in AD 70. We’re saying He came in judgment, just like He said He would (Matt. 24:30). It’s similar to Isaiah 19:1, where God comes “on a swift cloud” to judge Egypt—but that didn’t mean He literally floated down from heaven. It was prophetic judgment language.
So no, we’re not denying the Second Coming. We affirm it, physically and gloriously, in the future. We just recognize there was a covenantal coming in judgment on apostate Israel in AD 70, just like He warned.
4. The “worst time ever” statement in Matthew 24:21 fits AD 70, because of its theological weight.
Some say the destruction of Jerusalem wasn’t the worst time in history, because worse tragedies have happened since. But Jesus wasn’t just talking about body count—He was talking about covenant judgment. The fall of Jerusalem was the end of the Old Covenant age. That’s massive in redemptive history. It wasn’t just a war—it was God ending the temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices… forever.
No other event in human history carries that kind of theological finality. That’s why Jesus called it so severe.
5. We don’t use a “pick and choose” hermeneutic—we read based on context.
The idea that partial preterists use an “inconsistent” hermeneutic is a misunderstanding. We’re not saying some parts are literal, some symbolic at random. We’re saying: Let the text itself tell us how to read it. Revelation is full of signs and symbols—it literally says so in Revelation 1:1 (“He made it known by signs”). So when we read about beasts, trumpets, bowls, and plagues, we interpret based on Scripture’s own symbolic language, not modern headlines.
But when the text shifts tone, like in Revelation 21’s description of the New Heavens and Earth, or 1 Corinthians 15’s bodily resurrection, we take that more literally because the language demands it.
6. Finally, yes—we’re amillennial (or postmillennial) and not dispensational.
We reject the dispensational system because it was foreign to historic Christianity and was invented only in the 1800s. Partial preterism has a long Christian pedigree—found in early church fathers, and revived by men like John Owen, R.C. Sproul, David Chilton, and Kenneth Gentry.
We don’t dismiss Israel—God has always saved a remnant from all nations, and now Jew and Gentile are one in Christ (Eph. 2:14-16). We’re not waiting for a rebuilt temple or a third world war. We’re focused on Christ’s already-inaugurated kingdom spreading through the gospel.
In short: Partial preterism isn’t about downplaying Scripture—it’s about taking seriously the timing, the covenant themes, and the literary style of prophetic books. It gives us confidence that Jesus kept His word, and that the church today lives in the age of the New Covenant, not in anxious expectation of another doom clock.
Let’s keep our hope on the real future return of Jesus, and live faithfully in the victory He’s already won!
For more inquiries, contact us:
Email: formeradventist.ph@gmail.com
Website: formeradventistph.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/formeradventistph
Phone: 09695143944
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