Coming Events and Present Duties
This is a hard-to-find-in-print work by J.C. Ryle, a Covenantal Reformed theologian of historic premillenial persuasion with a futuristic view of Israel as a nation and prophetic OT passages of Israel, while neither ascribing to dispensationalism or supersessionism. He argues in the last 2 chapters that "Israel" has not been superseded by the church, but rather unfulfilled prophecies to Israel as a people and nation will be fulfilled.
Ryle's introduction from 1867 states among other points4572.Coming Events and Present Duties - GRACEGEMS EDITION.docx:
5. I believe that the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be a real, literal, personal, bodily coming; and that as He went away in the clouds of Heaven with His body, before the eyes of men — so in like manner He will return. (Acts 1:11.)
6. I believe that after our Lord Jesus Christ comes again, the earth shall be renewed, and the curse removed; the devil shall be bound, the godly shall be rewarded, the wicked shall be punished; and that before He comes, there shall be neither resurrection, judgment, nor millennium, and that not until after He comes, shall the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. (Acts 3:21; Isaiah 25:6-9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; Revelation 20:1, etc.)
7. I believe that the Jews shall ultimately be gathered again as a separate nation, restored to their own land, and converted to the faith of Christ, after going through great tribulation. (Jeremiah 30:10, 11; 31:10; Romans 11:25, 26; Daniel 12:1; Zech. 13. 8, 9.)
8. I believe that the literal sense of Old Testament prophecies has been far too much neglected by the Churches, and is far too much neglected at the present day, and that under the mistaken system of spiritualizing and accommodating Bible language, Christians have too often completely missed its meaning. (Luke 24:25, 26.)
9. I do not believe that the preterist scheme of interpreting the Apocalypse, which regards the book as almost entirely fulfilled; or the futurist scheme, which regards it as almost entirely unfulfilled — are either of them to be implicitly followed. The truth, I expect, will be found to lie between the two.
10. I believe that the Roman Catholic Church is the great predicted apostasy from the faith, and is Babylon and Antichrist; although I think it highly probable that a more complete development of Antichrist will yet be exhibited to the world. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-11; 1 Timothy4:1-3.)
11. Finally, I believe that it is for the safety, happiness, and comfort of all true Christians, to expect as little as possible from Churches or Governments under the present dispensation — to hold themselves ready for tremendous convulsions and changes of all things established — and to expect their good things only from Christ's second advent.
The student of prophecy will see at a glance that there are many subjects on which I abstain from giving an opinion.
About the precise time when the present dispensation will end;
about the manner in which the heathen will be converted;
about the mode in which the Jews will be restored to their own land;
about the burning up of the earth;
about the first resurrection;
about the rapture of the saints;
about the distinction between the appearing and the coming of Christ;
about the future siege of Jerusalem and the last tribulation of the Jews;
about the binding of Satan before the millennium begins;
about the duration of the millennium;
about the loosing of Satan at the end of the thousand years;
about the destruction of Gog and Magog;
about the precise nature and position of the new Jerusalem —
about all these things, I purposely decline expressing any opinion. I could say something about them all — but it would be little better than conjecture. I am thankful that others have more light about them than I have. For myself, I feel unable at present to speak positively. If I have learned anything in studying prophecy, I think I have learned the wisdom of not "making haste" to decide what is true.
Comments
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Peace to you, Philip! ...... and ........ Always Joy in the Lord! *smile*
Although this theological stance is not mine - nor one in my personal Faith Tradition - I still end up being thankful to you indeed for sharing and increasing my understanding of another Faith Tradition. Thank you very much!
Galatians 6:18
Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand..........
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Thanks for this book. I took the liberty of adding the final chapter and modifying the last two chapters to allow automatic word wrapping. I also made a few minor changes.
3652.4572.Coming Events and Present Duties - GRACEGEMS EDITION.docx
"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power"
Wiki Table of Contents0 -
Thanks for sharing.
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