Hank Hanegraaff

Hank Hanegraaff
“THE BIBLE ANSWER MAN” – AMILLENNIAL PARTIAL PRETERIST

“But let me just clarify something here. I have a lot of sympathy for the partial preterist point of view. I simply do not call myself a partial preterist because I don’t agree with everything that the partial preterists say. I think that in some cases the partial preterists make the same mistake that the futurist does, only in reverse. The futurist is in essence reading the Bible with one hand and the newspaper with the other, and the partial preterist oftentimes is trying to correlate events in history with what they read in the book of Revelation – oftentimes when that particular allusion in Revelation is symbolically intended as opposed to having some literal correspondence in first century history. “Now that may be a minor point of difference, but it is an important point from my perspective. Not only that, there are a lot of things that a partial preterist, from my perspective, makes an either/or proposition that I’m not comfortable making an either/or proposition.” 11/18/4 – Bible Answer Man show

The Bible Answer Man on Preterism in 1995 | New Take on Rapture Puts Authors in Apocalyptic Feud | Dr. Tim LaHaye | New Book Challenges ‘Left Behind’ | GOOGLE NEWS | BAM Archives | Jack Van Impe 2005 Attack on Hank

• Hanegraaff vs. Hitchcock – Three Hour Debate on Dating of Revelation

• A Friendly Response to Hank Hanegraaff’s Book, The Last Disciple (2006) “Of course even partial preterists are “futurists” regarding the Second Coming and Resurrection. But they reject the futurist understanding of the bulk of Book of Revelation. “

• A Response to Steve Gregg’s Defense of Hanegraaff (2007) “In brief, Gregg’s attempt to rescue the partial preterist position he shares with Hank Hanegraaff is a failure. It rests upon a methodologically unorthodox way of interpreting Scripture. If this same method were used on the Gospel narratives of the resurrection of Christ, the preterist would also be theologically unorthodox. Thus, while partial preterism itself is not heretical, its hermeneutic is unorthodox, and if applied consistently, would lead to heresy, as indeed it does in full preterism.”

THE APOCALYPSE CODE

In his latest book, The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible Really Says About the End-Times (Thomas Nelson – Apri1 10, 2007), leading Christian apologist, and national radio host popularly known as “The Bible Answer Man”, Hank Hanegraaff says that many evangelicals do have it wrong.

Take for example, Tim LaHaye co-author of the mega bestselling Left Behind series.  He believes that the good news is that on the basis of race, Jews have a divine right to the land of Palestine. He believes that the bad news is, that as a direct result of the crucifixion of Christ, twenty-first century Jews will soon die in an Armageddon that will make the Nazi Holocaust pale in comparison.  In his book, The Beginnings of the End, LaHaye writes “The deep significance of the 1967 Six-Day War is seen in the prospect that at long last Israel can rebuild its temple.  This is not just a national yearning — but a prophetic requirement of God’s Word.”  LaHaye goes on to underscore what he considers to be the major dilemma: “The Muslims’ multimillion-dollar Dome of the Rock is located on the spot where the temple should be.”

According to Hanegraaff, such inflammatory rhetoric raises a host of troubling questions, such as:

· Has God indeed given Jerusalem exclusively to the Jews?

· Is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Jerusalem a biblical axiom and a two-state solution a blasphemous abomination?

· Does the Bible indeed mandate a rebuilt temple on the exact piece of land on which the sacred mosque of the Muslims has stood for centuries?

In The Apocalypse Code, Hanegraaff answers these questions and more.

Hanegraaff believes that millions of evangelicals have unwittingly bought into end-time models popularized by Christian Zionists. Far from offering up another end-time model, The Apocalypse Code is focused on providing the reader with a proper method for reading the Bible for all its worth. “In the final analysis,” says Hanegraaff, “my purpose is not to entice you to embrace a particular model of eschatology, but to employ a proper method of biblical interpretation.”

After reading this page-turning—yet thought-provoking—book, you’ll be equipped to interpret the Bible and end-times prophecies using Hanegraaff’s memorable L-I-G-H-T-S acronym:

· Literal Principle – reading the Bible as literature rather than literalistically

· Illumination Principle – exposing the deadly error of pre-trib rapturism

· Grammatical Principle – engaging your “baloney detector” 

· Historical Principle – is Scripture written to us, or for us? 

· Typology Principle – is land the focus of the Lord, or the Lord the locus of the land?

· Scriptural Synergy – when Scripture is not interpreted in light of Scripture, truth is Left Behind

Discover why Lee Strobel, author of The Case for the Real Jesus, calls The Apocalypse Code “provocative and passionate…a must read.” See why Professor Paul Maier at Western Michigan University says, “I cannot recommend this book highly enough.”

Hanegraaff not only reveals the code to Revelation, but offers sane answers to some very controversial questions:

· Are two-thirds of all Jews really headed for an apocalyptic holocaust?

· Whose land is Palestine? Who does the city of Jerusalem belong to? 

· Should we worry about an anti-Christ or Mark of the Beast? 

· What is the real meaning of 666?

· Why the Rapture and the Tribulation will not be as portrayed by Left Behind. 

· Does Christian Zionism foster racism and anti-Semitism?

Just as evangelicalism now universally repudiates the once-common appeal to Genesis 9:27 in support of slavery of blacks, we must thoroughly and finally put to rest any thought that the Bible supports the horrors of racial discrimination wherever, and in whatever form we encounter it—whether within the borders of the United States or in the hallowed regions of the Middle East.

“As you read The Apocalypse Code,” says Hanegraaff, “you may well discover that you hold the key to the problem of terrorism in one hand and the fuse of Armageddon in the other.”

• AP Wire: Bible Answer Man Opposes Christian Zionism “CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hank Hanegraaff , radio’s Bible Answer Man, says he’s written a book that refutes the idea that modern Israel is a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.  He says the Zionism that’s popular among Christians — and which has influenced U.S. foreign policy — is actually a form of racism that misinterprets the Bible.  In “The Apocalypse Code,” Hanegraaff argues that Christians, whether they’re Jews or Gentiles, are God’s chosen people. He says the notion that God cares more about DNA than salvation has led many Christians to support Israeli Jews instead of Palestinian Christians. Hanegraaff also seeks to refute the kind of end-times beliefs popularized by the “Left Behind” novels and advocated by some Christian leaders.  (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

• 7/9/7: Norman Geisler, “You,” & “Zechariah the Son of Berechiah”  (2007) “Geisler’s argument on the second person plural does not stand up to exegetical scrutiny. By not dealing with the above arguments, he shows that he is not a trustworthy critic of the preterist interpretation of prophecy.”

• 7/6/7: Norman Geisler’s Review of Hank Hanegraaff’s “The Apocalypse Code” (2007) “It is sad that a man who has fought so hard for so long against cults and aberrant teachings has himself succumbed to a method of interpreting the Bible that is not significantly different from those used by the cults which he so vigorously opposes.”

• 5/3/7: Tommy Ice: Hank Hanegraaff’s The Apocalypse Code (2007) “Even though Hanegraaff always insisted that he was open to and had not adopted a specific view of eschatology, it has always been equally clear to anyone who is schooled in the various views that he had all along rejected dispensationalism and embraced his own version of a preterist/idealist scheme.” (full version)

Hanegraaff Breaks Dispensationalist Stranglehold on Christian Publishing

• Religious News Service: If You Thought the Left Behind Series Told the Real End-Times Story, Think Again! “Just as evangelicalism now universally repudiates the once-common appeal to Genesis 9:27 in support of slavery of blacks, we must thoroughly and finally put to rest any thought that the Bible supports the horrors of racial discrimination wherever, and in whatever form we encounter it—whether within the borders of the United States or in the hallowed regions of the Middle East. “As you read The Apocalypse Code,” says Hanegraaff, “you may well discover that you hold the key to the problem of terrorism in one hand and the fuse of Armageddon in the other.”

• Tommy Ice: Hank Hanegraaff Calls Tim LaHaye a Racist and a Blasphemer (2007) “Hanegraaff’s proposed interpretative approaches, if implemented, would send the church back to the Dark Ages hermeneutically. The great majority of the book is a rant against dispensationalism in general and Tim LaHaye in particular. There is precious little actual exegesis, if any at all, to support his preterist-idealist eschatology, however, there are great quantities of some of the most vicious invective against LaHaye and many other Bible prophecy teachers that I have ever read in print.”

• Hank Speaks Out “Tim LaHaye simply misunderstands the metaphors that are used in Scripture, and that has caused him to not only misconstrue the words of Jesus but to misrepresent me in the media.”

• The End: Best-selling books don’t see it alike – “It’s about much more than selling books, scholars say. The high-stakes publishing battle between the two men comes on the heels of the millennial fervor surrounding the year 2000, and feeds a stream of fear rippling just below the surface of public consciousness. ”  “To Hanegraaff, Revelation was written before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple to encourage persecuted Christians. He says the “end-time model presented in Left Behind is hermeneutically false in that it attributes powers to the beast that belong only to God, but it is historically false because it places the beast in the 21st century.”

“I am reading the Bible, specifically Revelation — it was written for first-century Christians. I am not relying on some wooden, literal interpretation that is unsupportable.” (Apocalyptic Feud)

(On the Subject of Revelation)
“I am reading the Bible, specifically Revelation — it was written for first-century Christians. I am not relying on some wooden, literal interpretation that is unsupportable.” (Apocalyptic Feud)

(On the Early Date of Revelation)
“More and more, people who have embraced the Futurist paradigm, when they recognize.. that the book of Revelation was not written in the mid-nineties, but rather was written in the mid-sixties, ..they have a different view of what the book of Revelation is actually dealing with in terms of substance.” (Voice of Reason, 11/21)

(On the Coming of Jesus)
“Jesus was the One who in the Olivet Discourse made the mother of all prophecies.  He said ‘not one stone here will be left upon another, every one will be thrown down.’   And He based His deity on that just like He did on the resurrection.  If that prophecy had not been fulfilled, Jesus would indeed have been a false prophet.  In fact, when He was before Caiaphas the High Priest, He said to Caiaphas, ‘you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds and seated at the right hand of the Mighty One.’  In other words, He said to him, ‘you will see my vindication and exaltation.  And, indeed, the very court that condemned Him to death saw His vindication and exaltation when Jerusalem was destroyed..  The utter destruction of Jerusalem takes places and vindicates what Jesus Christ has said.”  (Voice of Reason 11/21)

“Caller: In Second Thessalonians it says that the Beast will be destroyed at the brightness of his coming.  If that was already somebody back then, how could he be destroyed with the brightness of his coming if Jesus hasn’t come again? Hank: Well, that’s a good question.  Now, when you see the word ‘coming’, does that mean ‘The Second Coming’ in the way that people refer to the Second Coming today?  I don’t know.  ‘Coming’ does not always refer to that; remember, that Jesus said to Caiaphas in the court that was condemning Him to death, that they would see the Son of Man coming on clouds.  And seated on the right hand of the Mighty One.  So He’s telling the very court that’s condemning Him, that they’re going to see Him, and He is going to be vindicated as who He said He was.. which is God the flesh.  Forty years later they did see that coming. ” (BAM, 11/23/4, 6:45)

(On Nero, The Beast | 666)
“John is saying to his readers that with wisdom and understanding they could discern the number of the Beast and the number of his name.  If, in fact, the Beast was not around at that time, he would be have been giving them false information.. The beast is singularly Nero.” (Voice of Reason 11/21)

“No one can be worse than Nero.  It’s not only because he violated every one of the Ten Commandments.   He personified evil about as well as anyone can personify evil, and it absolutely  befuddles me when I hear people like Tim LaHaye refer to him as if he were some sort of eccentric character that lived in the past.    Nothing could be farther from the truth..   the reason that its the mother of all tribulations is because the persecution took place against the very foundation of the Christian Church.  Paul, and Peter, for example, die at the hands of Nero.”  (BAM 11/22/4)

FROM “THE LAST DISCIPLE”

“Tyndale House, the publisher of the Left Behind books, the megaselling Christian series about the end times, now presents a new series with a very different interpretation of biblical prophecy. Christian radio-show host Hanegraaff and bestselling CBA novelist Brouwer take readers back to the time of Nero in the first century. As the Roman Empire ruthlessly persecutes Christians, the novel’s warrior-hero, Vitas, tries to defend them. But even Vitas can’t prevent the destruction of the Jewish Temple—the historical event that sits at the center of this novel. Hanegraaff and Brouwer posit that the Book of Revelation, in code, predicted Roman persecution and the Temple’s fall; subsequent novels in the series presumably will walk readers through the rest of Revelation, tying historical events to biblical prophecy. This is, to be sure, middle-brow genre fiction, and not an especially shining specimen thereof. The prose is plodding, with far too many dramatic sentence fragments and a conventional plot. The dialogue tends toward the unsubtly didactic (” ‘Jesus, then, uses this rich symbolism?’ Darda nodded…. ‘You said John was obviously educated. Can you make any other guesses about him?’ ‘John verges on genius.’ “) Despite the series’ many flaws, readers who are hungry for apocalyptic fiction may embrace it, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll find a first-century apocalypse as gripping as Left Behind’s 21st-century one. ” (The Last Disciple)

“TEN MONTHS AFTER THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION {AD 65}” (ibid. p. 1)

“I know of your prophet named Daniel.  Hundreds of years ago, he foretold that Rome would be the fourth beast, greater than the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia and Greece. And here is your fourth beast, ready to destroy you.” (ibid., p. 7)

“At sundown, by the orders of Nero, the guards would ignite their tunics so these men and women — the Christians — would become human torches to light the street for the half-drunk Roman revelers returning home at the end of the games.  This was the Great Tribulation.  Hell did exist on earth.” (p. 21)

“Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets and the promises of God.” (p. 40)

“Those who are destined for death will be killed.  But do not be dismayed, for here is your opportunity to have endurance and faith.’  These are the words of John, the last disciple of our Savior.  We are living through the Great Tribulation, and he has given us comfort” (p. 57)

“The discourse of Jesus on the Mount of Olives.  It took place just after Jesus left the temple grounds.  He turned to His disciples and promised them that not one stone would be left on top of another.  They were so astonished that they asked Him about it shortly after, as they rested on the Mount of Olives and beheld the glory of the temple.”  

“Then you know His answer to their questions about when it would take place, when they asked for signs of His return and the end of the age? Caleb asked.  “I do,’ Zabad answered.  “And I am profoundly grateful for it.  The end of the age is upon us as Daniel predicted and as Jesus confirmed.” (p. 87)

“The end of the age is a common phrase used in our Scriptures in different ways.. Even the Romans understand that the end of an age does not necessarily mean the end of time.  And I am telling you that an evil era is about to end with the destruction of the temple and the ruling establishment in Jerusalem that rejected Jesus as the Son of God.” (p. 88)

“With the death and resurrection of Jesus, a new age is upon us.  One that does not require sacrifices at the Temple Mount.  The covenant between God and Israel was broken with the rejection of His Son.” (p. 88)

“I want it remembered that we have all agreed that the truth of the prophecies of Jesus on the Mount of Olives is meaningless unless all the events He predicted occur, not just some.” (p. 93, emphasis in original)

OTHER INFORMATION

“Prior to the 19th century, Futurists included, believed that the rapture and the second coming were simultaneous events” (BAM, 12/14/4)

“Coming on clouds does not mean that Jesus Christ is going to come back in AD70.  Jesus is using language from the Old Testament prophets.”

“Jesus Christ in the Olivet Discourse speaks in an apocalyptic sense about what is going to happen to the city of Jerusalem and the temple.” (BAM, 12/14/4)

“The Book of Revelation is written to a first century audience” (BAM, 12/14/4)

“I am committed to methodology over model.  I am less committed to trying to ascribe myself to any particular model, or try to shoehorn the Scriptures into any particular extant model.”  (Voice of Reason 11/21)

“If you follow the Futurist mentality, you open yourself up to the cults and world religions who want to say ‘Jesus was a false teacher’ and His false teaching was demonstrated.. in the Olivet Discourse.”   (Voice of Reason 11/21)

“I assure you, this generation will not pass away from the scene before all these things take place.” (TLD p. 92)  “When Jesus says ‘this generation’ He doesn’t mean ‘that generation’.  He also doesn’t mean ‘that race’.. What He is talking about is the mother of all tribulations that the disciples were about to face.”   (Voice of Reason 11/21)

“I have a lot of sympathy for the partial preterist point of view. I simply don’t call myself a partial preterist because I don’t agree with everything the partial preterists say.”     “I have purposely not given my point of view for 15 years on the radio.” (11/18/4 Show)

“With eschatology you have to recognize this.  There will be a final consummation of all things.  Jesus Christ will return bodily.  We will be resurrected immortal, imperishable incorruptible.  We will be changed.”  (Voice of Reason 11/21)

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

Thomas Ice (2004)
“Hank Hanegraaff of Bible Answer Man fame has recently delved into the field of eschatology (the study of last things) with the release of a novel called The Last Disciple,[1] co-authored with Sigmund Broward. It appears that Hanegraaff has adopted the preterist position in this first novel in a series that sees the book of Revelation as having been fulfilled in the first century. “Hank is a partial preterist who holds to a view on eschatology that is similar to the position held by Gary DeMar,” according to DeMar’s website.” (One Thousand Years, Literal or Figurative?)

Sigmund Brower
“The abomination did occur.”  (BAM, 12/14/4)

Hankn Hanegraaff vs. Tim LaHaye

• The End: Best-selling books don’t see it alike – “It’s about much more than selling books, scholars say. The high-stakes publishing battle between the two men comes on the heels of the millennial fervor surrounding the year 2000, and feeds a stream of fear rippling just below the surface of public consciousness. ”  “To Hanegraaff, Revelation was written before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple to encourage persecuted Christians. He says the “end-time model presented in Left Behind is hermeneutically false in that it attributes powers to the beast that belong only to God, but it is historically false because it places the beast in the 21st century.”

• Hank Hanegraaff Gave Tim LaHaye the People’s Elbow! “This story is too good to pass up. LaHaye, alleged author of the Left Behind Series, and Hank Hanegraaff, the man who refers to himself as the Bible Answer Man and lives in a palace near San Diego where he suffers for Jesus, are having a feud about the End Times. Sort of.”

• Eschatology Erupts: LaHaye vs. Hanegraaff, Preterism vs. Premillennialism – “Of course the other thing that occurs to me is that LaHaye feels that because his book series was and is the money making machine, that Tyndale then needs to run any new authors and their ideas past him first. Sort of arrogant, but hey, he’s human too.”

• The Bible Answer Man is Right! Crimson Catholic: “Correct me if I’m wrong but a partial preterist interpretation, which Hank is advocating, does not teach that Jesus returned in 68 A.D, that’s full preterism, right? Partial preterist’s just don’t believe in a rapture, I think.”

• An Apocalyptic Showdown – Lexington Herald-Ledger “What if the Rapture has already happened? What if the Book of Revelation’s prophecies have been fulfilled?”

Hanegraaff Breaks Dispensationalist Stranglehold on Christian Publishing
Sanctus Blog (http://wesleyvoice.org/blog1/)

Hank Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute has, in the past, turned his polemical pen against such evangelical aberrations as the “Word of Faith” movement and the “Toronto Blessing.” Easy targets, some might say, considering the embarrassing excesses of the ”prosperity gospel” and the “laughing revival.” The same cannot be said, however, for his latest tome, The Apocalypse Code. The subjects of Hanegraaff’s scrutiny this time are the ever popular “prophecy experts” headlined by Tim LaHaye and, to a lesser extent these days, Hal Lindsey.

From both the title of the book (which recalls a similar title a decade ago by Lindsey, sans the definite article) and its cover design (parodying the now familiar doomsday look of LaHaye’s Left Behind novels), it is immediately apparent that Hanegraaff’s primary intended audience is the unconverted, that is, those who have become so immersed in the brand of eschatology espoused by LaHaye, Lindsey, et al. that they have never entertained the possibility that there might be a more biblically faithful explanation of the doctrine of last things. No doubt, many an eager patron of the local Christian bookstore will pull this title off the shelf and rush home expecting to read another treatise on the imminent end of the world, only to find out that everything they thought they knew about that impending catastrophe was not only wrong, but dead wrong. Even the most convinced dispensationalist will find Hanegraaff’s apologetic for what he calls “Exegetical Eschatology” hard to put down. He writes, as always, in a breezy, fluid fashion, employing the use of acronyms so that even a third grader can remember the essential points of his argument.

What comes across with painful clarity, as Hanegraaff has done us the favor of reading much of the works of LaHaye, Lindsey, et al. (sparing us the horrendous burden of having to do so for ourselves), is the fact that dispensationalism was, is, and always will be virulently racist and anti-Semitic. This is not so easily discerned in the popular culture, where “Christian Zionists” are often portrayed, and portray themselves, as the best friends of the Jewish people and the state of Israel. But in the larger dispensationalist scheme of things, a revived state of Israel serves its purpose in the prophetic chronology only as a gathering place for millions of Jews to be slaughtered in the seven-year period of “the Great Tribulation” after the church has been safely “raptured” to heaven. This is the dark side of the “two peoples of God” theory first espoused by dispensationalist founder J.N. Darby and rarely, if ever, exposed to the light of biblical and critical scrutiny, although only a cursory reading of such passages as Ephesians 2.11-22 exposes it for the absurdity it is.

Hanegraaff has, undoubtedly, made himself a target for much criticism by venturing into the “end times” debate. He is not the first to write a refutation of dispensational eschatology, nor is he the first to point out that the real issue is not eschatology but proper biblical exegesis. He is, however, the first to present the case against LaHaye, Lindsey, et al. under the auspices of a major Christian publishing company (Thomas Nelson) with major marketing potential. Ironically, he has already published several contra-Left Behind novels with Tyndale House, the same company that publishes LaHaye’s works. This has been the source of much consternation for LaHaye, who was quite outspoken in his criticism. Perhaps that is why Hanegraaf has published this latest work through Nelson. Whatever the reason, however, it a positive development to see the dispensationalist stranglehold on Christian book publishing finally being broken.

Date:

03 Dec 2004

Time:

12:28:54

Comments

Can you suggest an amillenist, partial preterist commentary on the Revelation? I have read several commentaries and books, but other than Jay Adams have not found a complete commentary on the above. I don’t like “tags” but this seems to be the onlt way of describing my position, which I believe to be biblical. Loved The Last Disciple, am anxiously waiting for the next edition! Thanks for any information you could give me. Elayne emgm@msn.com

Date:

16 Dec 2004

Time:

11:20:14

Comments

Err.. Hank, whom I have listened to since 1995, has me confused…it is clearly not his style to release his views on subject matter via fiction, first…I have to get on-line and try and assemble his views on whats called “partial-preterism” myself…he should have made a non-fiction book first. If I have understood partial-preterists correctly, however, the judgements in revelation (the majority of them) have already happened. Joesephus mentions some unique judgements in the 6th book of his “The Jewish War”, but it’s nothing like what revelation talks about. I’m scratching my head…and I am truly confused. -Chris

Date:

26 Dec 2004

Time:

17:19:43

Comments

Partial preteristic view is the most consistent form of eschatological theology, in the pale of orthodoxy. Hank Hanegraaf, Gary Demar, Ken Gentry, and R.C sproul work is excellent. I beleive they should combine there work into one book. It would be as powerful as the book of revelation itself. Could you send me any information regarding an issue like this, thanks. Josh cada44@aol.com

Date:

26 Dec 2004

Time:

21:27:39

Comments

What is this? I have a bible and this only confuses me more thoroughly for today a friend told me about your site. I looked it over briefly and feel overwhelmed. It makes me see how you cant trust the knowledge of man but you can only trust in the power of God. I believe God holds many answers to life and everything around us, but exploring those answers when they haven’t been given to us, it feels like you just smarting up your thoughts with big words and or just make it seem like you know what your talking about. But when you do that I have know idea if you do know what you’re talking about, or if you’re just sweetening up a brain blast that you had one afternoon while mowing the lawn. I don’t mean to sound like I’m being picky or talking down on what your doing I just don’t see Gods glory, what I imagined we were here for was just to spread and tell the world about the lord and that sounded great. Now are you trying to gather evidence to support that cause or are you just trying to justify your faith. Faith is trust in something, believing in something with little to no proof. Mister I don’t know you or where your from, but do you ever pray about what you do before you do it like write your books or do you just read and then put your thoughts down. Cause you got to remember our heads wont ever get near grasping or even touching the power and knowledge and wisdom that is God. God bless man I be praying for you.

Date:

29 Dec 2004

Time:

11:19:15

Comments

I believe that the absolute best amillenialist, partial preterist commentary on the Revelation is “The Avenging of the Apostles and Prophets” by Artur Ogden. Do a search for it and check it out. If you enjoy “The Last Disciple” you should be thrilled to read “The Avenging of the Apostles and Prophets”. The beliefs supported are very much the same, and Ogden is (or was before he died) a terrific writer and very knowledgeable commentator.

Date:

19 Jan 2005

Time:

12:47:07

Comments

I found this great commentary that is simple and easy to read. This book explains everything in basic language and the multiple authors all seem to have a single source document that is without error. What is this book you ask, the BIBLE. You cannot go wrong with the Spirit to guide you, but men make mistakes often! Fiction is just that. Let the word be a guide to you and pray for understanding, it takes longer and is much more difficult but is worth every bead of sweat and tear that falls. angelablairmusic@aol.com

Date:

31 Jan 2005

Time:

17:27:57

Comments

All of this talk of the tribulation occuring back in 70 A.D. is simply not true. The 7 year tribulation is something that is going to encompass the entire earth, not just the area around Jerusalem. Look for instance at Luke 21 vs 35: It says that “For it will come upon ALL those who dwell on the face of ALL the earth. Now you preterists tell me how someone living in the area of present day San Francisco would have known the the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. was going on? The tribulation will be known by the whole world. As bad as Nero was he was no Beast. It has not occurred yet. Please, preterists, tell me something that has happened that came upon ALL the earth. If this has all happened 2000 years ago, what are we all waiting for? Are we Christians going to take back the world? Hardly. If we are then Church attendance better start going the other way and quickly. Churches in Europe are now being used as bingo halls and restaurants. We Christians are not going to take back the world. Jesus will when he comes to Jerusalem and reigns for 1000 years. There will be no peace until the Prince of Peace returns.

Date:

07 Feb 2005

Time:

22:30:11

Comments

Stumbled on to this site by accident and won’t be back, but instead of wasting your time writing out small novel’s of adoration for self thoughts or those of others…why not spend the time seeking the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob!

Date:

13 Feb 2005

Time:

08:11:18

Comments

“Unsubtly didactic?” I would have to concede that point. But remember, the prospective audience for this book does not have a demonstrated ability to discern truth unaided. While certainly not sufficient to fully educate, this book however, (particularly in its audio format) has the ability to hold one’s interest and create a hunger for further investigative study. All in all, just what the doctor ordered as an alternative to the ridiculous and proposterous nonsense seen in “Left Behind” and its ilk. After all, the VAST majority of evangelicals today have no familiarity with full or partial preterism. Buy an audio copy and loan it to someone for consideration…open a discussion…recommend this website….let them read the pertinent Scriptures for themselves. It’s certainly worth a try. God bless!

Date: 17 Apr 2005
Time: 06:04:43

Comments:

To the fellow who posted on December 26 at 21:27:39, don’t be bewildered or confused.  Amongst Bible-believing Christians there are different interpretations on the end times.  As Christians we should always affirm the future bodily return of Christ, the final judgment, and the New Heaven and New Earth.  The details do matter, but I think we can disagree over the exact circumstances of Christ’s return and still have fellowship with each other.

 July 26, 2005 7:28 pm

When you referred to that call with Hank, I inadvertantly thought you claimed I referred to you and your site specifically in the call, though you know it was your actions, though other hyperpret sites picked it up.  I was editing some misspellings, and I see you are referring to my Introduction.  I have revised it so that it is not specific.

—
Dee Dee
The PreteristSite – 100% heresy-free!

Date: 18 Nov 2005
Time: 02:46:24

Comments:

If you enjoyed THE LAST DISCIPLE then you would enjoy reading Dr Andrew Corbett’s commentary on Revelation available at- http://www.andrewcorbett.net/e-books/m-e-b-revelation.pdf , or his analysis of Matthew 24 (available at- http://www.andrewcorbett.net/shop.htm#mev ).
Hank and Sigmund have done an excellent job with this book. It is thoroughly well researched historically, and well written- a real page turner!!

Date: 26 Nov 2005
Time: 08:06:20

Comments:

Hank – we are having a discussion in our Sunday Bible Study – when did Christ first become aware – at what age – that He was God/Christ?
Thanks – P.J.Brown

Date: 08 Dec 2005
Time: 12:47:33

Comments:

I am proud of the fact that I consider myself a dispensationalist, I find that many of the comments of Mr. Hanegraaff, are closed minded he never gives any one that opposes him a fair hearing, I think if he wanted to be fair minded about this scenario that he would have someone such as Mr. LaHaye on his program or failing that someone of equal stature so that they could have an open debate instead of using his program as an electronic anti-dispensationalist soapbox.

<tagengsup2004@yahoo.com>

Date: 10 Jan 2006
Time: 16:16:52

Comments:

I thought Scripture interpreted Sscripture? God knows how to plainly tell His followers what it is He wants them to know . God did just that . The 1st century disciples are the original audience to the Olivet Discourse and that teaching must have had a major significanse to them in their lifetimes . Hank knows better than that . So much more can be said . PAST IN FULFILLMENT RULES.ALL END TIMES / LAST DAYS PROPHECIES WERE FULFILLED BY AD 70 , JUST AS JESUS PROMISED IN LUKE 21:22 “FOR THIS IS THE TIME OF PUNISHMENT IN FULFILLMENT OF ALL THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN .” REV.21:3 NOW THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITH MEN. 1st century original audience relevance then and forevermore. Let the Bible be God’s word and man’s traditions, nothing. SELLING BOOKS MAKES ALOT OF MONEY….

Date: 18 Jan 2006
Time: 22:17:54

Comments:

I hope to publish a book on the Revelation with extensive commentary this year. I respect Hank Hanegraaff and Tim LaHaye, but I think both have overlooked something very important in this debate. Neither Partial Prets nor premillennialists take into consideration that John’s Revelation was so very Jewish! The traditional understandings of the beasts in Daniel and how the first three (not the fourth) are seen again in the Revelaion is totally ignored by most commentators. Rome was not and will not be the center of end-times events. Like it or not, our world is running pell-mell into a spiritual crisis in the mid-east that will affect Jews in Israel, not with bombs, attacks from Arabs or Muslim fanatics, but by the soon-coming of their Messiah and the stubborn refusal of many of them to be anxiously waiting for their bridegroom! Trying to insert the early Christians into the Revelation, (which never once mentions the “Church” but only refers to “Jews who are not Jews”, to the place
exposition of the Old Testament prophecies, (as repeated and alluded to in the Revelation), that GOD is not done with the Jews. They will yet become everything he has planned for them to be. He will take some of the remnant of the Jewish people, who survive the plagues and see his coming, to be priests and Levites and he will send them to the farthest shores to speak of the LORD’S fame and glory!

I would love to dialog with Hank, Tim, or anyone who could embrace yet another view of the Revelation that I think ought to be considered. The Revelation is largely about an unseen spiritual warfare (the beasts) that will influence and affect the Jews in Israel just before the return of Christ. This spiritual warfare was rampant in the days when Jesus lived in Israel and it will be rampant again in the days before his second coming. Pretrib raptures have no place in any of these events, as LaHaye contends, but neither does the first century fulfillment theory of Hanegraaff. Both of these Godly men are partly on tract and both are off track as well. I am not suggesting finding a middle-ground because that’s not in the Scriptures either; rather, it’s seeing the role of the Jews in the last-days that needs urgent attention. I would appreciate your comments to me via mail as I do not go on-line very much. I just happened to run across this site as I was looking for some Talmudic histo

Date: 27 Jan 2006
Time: 11:55:57

Comments:

When did Nero order everyone in the Roman empire to receive a mark without which they could neither buy nor sell?

Date: 06 Apr 2006
Time: 22:52:53

Comments:

No, Nero did not institute such a mark.

As to Hank, he believes babies who die to lost parents go to hell but you’ll see your pet Fido in heaven. It’s quite unbelievable unless you’ve heard it yourself. Unfortunately, I have been cursed to listen to a segment done by him on Family Life Radio. A man that can believe something like that is not credible, even if he agrees with others who are credible. His answers are nothing more than hypothesis and he has a prevalent technique of insulting those who disagree with him, and then, yes, as stated by another Christian on this board, he refuses to debate them, even when they insist, which, of course, is his prerogative.

As to the partial preterist view, it is very accurate, but only from the sense that certain events in history resemble others, as if it is a sample of future events. There has never been a seven year period in history where everything in the Book of Revelation and Daniel’s 70th week has occured and certainly nothing global which is implicitly described in scripture.

Not every partial preterist thinks that Revelation was written in 70 A. D., which is entirely preposterous especially since it was written in 96 A. D. as documented in history. For one, Albert Barnes 96 A. D. This is not important in the least but is noted here because this site notes him to be a partial preterist, but the comfirmations of Irenaeus, Clement, Victorinus, Jerome, Eusebius, Sulpicious Severus, Orosius, ect., ect., that it was written in 96 A. D., are. Most of these men lived near the life of John, especially Irenaeus who was proportedly the disciple of Polycarp, a disciple of John the Beloved, penman of the Revelation of Jesus Christ and also one of Christ’s disciples.

It should noted that the partial preterism of Barnes was not set within any distinct seven years but spanned history following the completion of Revelation. Read his commentaries. Last I knew Baker Book House was selling the $1000 set for $75 on their website. It is fourteen volumes long (ten of which are written by Barnes) and about as many thousands of pages.

The distiction made between 70 and 96 A. D. is pagan and Christian Rome. John notes the incidences of violence with wonder. Why should he wonder at the evil deeds of a pagan nation? But the evil deeds of a Christian nation is another thing all together. That is something to wonder at and not in a positive manner.

I have not read the complete The Last Disciple, but what I have read of it confirms Hanegraaff is a competant novelist though the poorly written Left Behind is far more accurate; a careful reading of Revelation reveals plainly that each set of judgments overlap. The Christ Clone trilogy is much better written. It strikes me as being more speculative in some areas, but it is also more accurate in others, particularly its descriptions concerning the spiritual angle of events given in the Bible.

I do not believe the muslims have a connection with Bablyon except that the original location of Babylon is in Iraq. Study Ezekiel chapters 38, 39. It is often thought these chapters describe Armageddon. It does not. In the aforementioned chapters, Israel has allies, most fighting with them, other contributing fiscally. However, during Armageddon in Revelation 19, everyone is against them. Study the names of the countries, their locations and their present names and you will find that every Muslim nation is allies with Israel. It sounds absurd, especially with current circumstances and history, but that is what happens when we use our newspaper to interpret our Bible. You must also understand that just because one country is allied to another does not mean they are friends. Intimidation could be a factor.

“There shall be wars and rumors of wars; nation shall rise against nation” should not take anyone by surprise for it is something that has happened nearly all of history.

The paragraph before last, of course, might also suggest that Christ’s coming is not now but in some distant future, which would not be a good suggestion to the lazy Christian who is only looking for an opportunity to bow out of God’s work. We are always to be looking for his coming; it helps keep us busy.

Also, amillennialism states that Christ will not reign a thousand years on earth, which cannot be justified with scripture when Revelation blatantly states that he will. “Is not” is in clear contradiction with “is” and I would much rather believe God’s “is” to man’s “is not.” “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Revelation is not some allegory, saturated with hidden symbols, though it does contain symbols to exclaim events that will happen in a manner so people may understand in any dispensation. It is a revelation, thus the title. Only in one passage in the book does it ever describe anything hidden and that is the Seven Thunders in Revelation 10 and John was very clear that not only were they not hinted at, they were not written. If you believe this is the “Apocalypse” or hidden, that is closer to Gnosticism, though such an oversimplified explanation of Gnosticism does not begin to come close to the panoply of their beliefs; the rest is not worthy of describing seriously

The truth is discovered by careful study of God’s Word and can be discerned by comparing scripture with scripture. “Study to show thyself aproved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed.” Compare words and phrases with other places in your Bible. Look for something to catch your eye. Write down certain phrases that seem to be a little perculiar, then search for them as you read. You will sometimes discover connections that are stronger than just wording.

God only gives man as much light as he accepts, though as previously stated, we will never fully know or understand the mind of God. May God bless your Bible studies. Satan is the author of confusion.

Date: 06 Apr 2006
Time: 23:21:27

Comments:

One thing I missed. The church is never mentioned in the eschatological chapters of Revelation. That is, past chapter three and the letters to the seven churches. Why is that? They’re gone. The rapture is never mentioned in Revelation, yet all of the saints except those few still alive on the earth, return with Christ. The rapture is not mentioned in Revelation because it is not noticed by many people. If it was at a level akin to Left Behind, that would be different. But it won’t be. ” . . . as the days of Noe, so shall the coming of the son of man be.” Of course there were only eight saved on the ark. Not to say there will only be eight raptured. I’m certain there would be many more, though a very insignificant percentile of the population. Christ inquires in the book of Luke, “Nevertheless when the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

If the Christians are not raptured, it implies they must be Christians before the Tribulation, then that they may be deceived and receive the Mark, thus loosing their salvation which is not consistent with scripture. ” . . . no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” John 10:29

Christ coming is in two parts; the rapture and at Armageddon.

Rapture supported: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” I Thessalonians 4:16, 17

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” I Corinthians 15:52

Those noting that the word “rapture” (which means to be “transported with delight”) is not found in the bible must also note that the word “bible” is also not found in the bible.

Date: 25 Jun 2006
Time: 15:02:10

Comments:

Hank Hanegraaff is not a futurist, I don’t understand why he’s listed in that catergory on the sidebar  (TDD: Because he asked to be considered such)

Date: 21 Sep 2006
Time: 05:56:08

Comments:

I have just reviewed a great deal of Preterist information on this and other web sites. It seems to me that proponents of this idea cling tenaciously to just a few verses of scripture related to Jesus proclaiming His “quick” return (which they then assert could not possibly mean anything more than a few decades, it is not clear why they believe this)and interpretation of nuances in meaning of 1st Century Greek terms. Friends, this is a very dangerous path to follow and is the very pattern that has lead to almost every heresy in the history of the Church. The implications of the reasonings of Preterist ideas is not simply a different interpretation of eschatology, but attacks many of the basic foundations of Biblical Christianity. These ideas are nothing new incidentally, they are nearly identical to certain parts of other heretical doctrines such as Gnosticism and Jehovah’s Witnesses. These also deny a continued incarnate existence of Christ and the Jehovah’s Witnesses also espouse a
cene Cre
ed in the Preterist literature as rigid, antiquated doctrine. It is not surprising, being that these documents were composed to combat early heresies in the Church.
I believe that most proponents of the Preterist doctrine are familiar with at least some of the myriad Scriptures which undermine their views, some are even listed in this comment board. Every Scripture referenced seems to be written off as referring to something symbolic or having a different meaning. So let me simply ask:

– What happens, according to Preterism, when we die?
– If THIS is Heaven as described in the Bible, why do people, even believers, still experience temptation, evil, death, etc.?
– Where is the Great Throne of Jesus that we will worship at for eternity?
– When and where did all the natural catastrophic phenomena listed in Revelation (the Sun darkened, the Moon turned to blood, one third of people and sea creatures died, etc.) occur between A.D. 65 and A.D. 70?
– If Nero was antichrist and was thrown into the pit with Satan at the coming of Jesus, why did future Roman Emperors continue to kill and persecute believers?
– If we are seated with Christ in the Heavenlies, why are we still here?

I would be interested in answers from Preterists on these issues and many others.

Date: 02 Dec 2006
Time: 18:03:32

Comments:

to the person whom desires to know more (26thSept 5:56:08)
>>What happens, according to Preterism, when we die? Response:-The Bible says not very little on this.
– >>If THIS is Heaven as described in the Bible, why do people, even believers, still experience temptation, evil, death, etc.?Response:- The New Jerusalem is not Heaven, it is the anti-type to the Old Jerusalem. Therefore Spiritual, the New Jerusalem came down out from Heaven, it’s gate are called Praise and it’s walls are called Salvation , it is built apon the 12 Apostles. Now it gate are always open and nations may enter in to take of the tree of Life ie the work of the everlasting gospel is to bring people into the city of the Living God.
– >>Where is the Great Throne of Jesus that we will worship at for eternity? Response:-Some sincre study shall reveal these things.
– When and where did all the natural catastrophic phenomena listed in Revelation (the Sun darkened, the Moon turned to blood, one third of people and sea creatures died, etc.) occur between A.D. 65 and A.D. 70? Response:- you need to examine the Old Testament to understand apolyptic language.
– If Nero was antichrist and was thrown into the pit with Satan at the coming of Jesus, why did future Roman Emperors continue to kill and persecute believers?Response:- Out from the Flesh come murders, lying and all abominations.James…
– If we are seated with Christ in the Heavenlies, why are we still here?Response:- Read some more….

Date: 29 Jan 2007
Time: 05:16:36

Comments:

Hank… Hank…. Hank…

I have listened to him many times, and appreciated him. I have learned from him, BUT

The first clue that there is a problem with his show is that he calls himself the Bible Answerman. Nobody has all the answers. I like to say Hank has all the answers, but Chuck Missler has all the questions because Chuck does not claim to know everything. He does make hypothesis, but tells us to go read for ourselves.

Hank gets jealous/envious in a positive or negative way (you decide) when someone has big success with something he considers heresy and then will write a book.

Anotherview
admin at webnwrite.com

Date: 30 Jun 2007
Time: 12:55:49

Comments:

Partial preterists believe in one second coming, at the end of history, which can be called “the rapture” but this event is the “eschaton” or “Last Day” the “Day of Judgment” and the return of Jesus, which also includes the concurrent, final judgment of all souls, rennovation of the world and final doom of Satan and his angels.

When partial preterists speak of Christ’s “coming” in A.D. 70, the year the temple was destroyed, they don’t mean this in any sort of woodenly literal fashion, but speak of God’s “coming” in judgment upon Israel and, with the temple and priesthood’s final demise, fully ushers in the NT economy of the gospel. Christ did not literally leave his throne in A.D. 70 to destroy the temple and Jerusalem but Jesus did use symbolic language found in Isaiah and elsewhere in the Olivet Discourse to describe what the effect of His “coming” in judgment would be like for unrepentant Israel.

Date: 30 Apr 2009
Time: 21:15:09

Your Comments:

I agree with Many on the fact that Rev 20 is not a literal thousand years. We have no reason to take it literallyi.e. If we did we would have to believe that theres a Big RED dragon sitting on a seal with a huge chain in His mouth. This method REV 20 Being literal is totally outside of any litreture that we would read anywhere. It breaks all obsurdities to think that all of Johns REV 20 is Metaphoric and then jump to literalism with no ryme or reason when we get to the 1000 yrs. Its totally Obsurd to Find good exegesis when you dont have good hermenutics to begin with, its impossible. i.e. If we are to take REV 20 literal then watch out for flying RED gigantic Dragons and seals, not to mention the chain With which if you believe this view is literal Has you bound, already. Thanks RC Scrolls Ray Carsjens

Date: 26 Jun 2009
Time: 01:25:25

Your Comments:

Honestly it sounds like Hank holds to elements of preterism, but possible also to some elements of historicism. No matter to me, as long as he isn’t wrongly dividing the people of God.

Date: 30 Aug 2009
Time: 14:19:27

Your Comments:

On the claim that Nero didn’t institute a mark on individuals that allowed them to buy or sell (“The mark of the Beast”). I believe that many things in the Revelation have their roots in the Old Testament. The original audience that John was writing to were very familiar with the Law and the Prophets, and understood the connection. It’s no different with the mark of the Beast.

In Exodous 13 after escaping Egypt, the Jews were instructed to sacrifice every firstborn male animal, but were to redeem their firstborn sons with a lamb. In the future their children would ask what all these rites and rituals meant and they were told this ceremony would be “like a mark branded on your hands or on your forehead. It is a visible reminder that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt with great power.” (NLT)

So the rituals and rites of Judaism were “like” a mark on your hand or forehead, not a literal visible mark. However, in Jesus’ day the rituals were still there, but their hearts weren’t in it, and Jesus condemned their hypocrisy. Furthermore in Paul’s writings the early christians were warned not to listen to “Judaizers” and slide back into Judaism with all its empty rituals.

In the book of Revelation believers are warned not to receive the mark, or go back to their old ways, but this would have been very difficult for these christians as they were being horribly persecuted by the Jews and also by the Romans.

At some point it would have been hard or even impossible for christians who “endured to the end” to buy or sell, or hold a job, not mention being tortured even to the point of death, maybe even being lit up like a human torch, just for not recanting their faith, and going back into Judaism, the mark of the Beast.

In my opinion, this is a very plausible explanation to the mysterious “mark of the Beast”.

Date: 16 May 2010
Time: 18:32:54

Your Comments:

It is a mark of the immaturity of most Christians that they believe in something as absurd as the “Rapture”. This is not a Biblical doctrine. It is a false teaching, cobbled together from unrelated verses by a Jesuit and popularized by a Scottish evangelical and that deceiver Cyrus Ingerson Scofield. The word and concept are not in the Bible. When the remnant meets Christ in the air, it says nothing about them going to heaven. The Kingdom is to be on earth, the actual place that they will accompany Christ to. The quote of one being taken and one remaining…. apparently it requires a degree of intelligence these “believers” don’t have to recognize the possibility that it is the non-believer that will be “taken”, i.e., killed. No wonder non-believers laugh at Christians. No wonder most Christian prayer is so ineffective, since their believe system is so flawed.

Date: 14 Dec 2010
Time: 21:42:53

Your Comments:

I USE TO FOLLOW HANK IN “THE BIBLE ANSWER MAN”, BUT LATELY I FEEL WHEN DR. WALTER MARTIN PASSED AWAY HANK HANEGRAAF WENT DOWNHILL. EVEN CALVERY CHAPEL HAD TO SHY AWAY FROM HIM. YOU CAN RISE TO THE OCCASION IN DEFENDING THE FAITH BUT THEN YOU CAN FALL FROM GRACE. I PRAY FOR HIM. I AM A PRETRIB.

Date: 26 Oct 2012
Time: 14:47:12

Your Comments:

I think Christians should quit arguing and bad mouthing each other on their view points of scripture.They should agree to disagree. How can the Word of God be preached to the world when all the world sees is Christians fighting with each other. Living the Word is the best way of evangelizing because the world is watching more than listening.
In Christ name Chris Lucas

Date: 14 Dec 2010
Time: 21:42:53

Your Comments:

I USE TO FOLLOW HANK IN “THE BIBLE ANSWER MAN”, BUT LATELY I FEEL WHEN DR. WALTER MARTIN PASSED AWAY HANK HANEGRAAF WENT DOWNHILL. EVEN CALVERY CHAPEL HAD TO SHY AWAY FROM HIM. YOU CAN RISE TO THE OCCASION IN DEFENDING THE FAITH BUT THEN YOU CAN FALL FROM GRACE. I PRAY FOR HIM. I AM A PRETRIB.

Date: 02 Mar 2013
Time: 07:20:51

Your Comments:

I grew up being taught the futurist view of the end times. As I became more of a Bible student I had questions of verses that seemed to contradict them. especially the words of Jesus such as in the Olivet discourse. My questions were given answers that made no sense . When I first realized there were alternate views, and brought this to their attention, I was told that it was heresy .However, when I studied out partial preterism I was amazed at it’s simplicity and accuracy, but most drawn by how it made sense with Jesus own words.

Date: 16 Jul 2013
Time: 21:53:42

Your Comments:

Hank has found a way to merchandise Christinity for his own profit while feeling good about himself. About 70% of what he talks about aligns with scripture and thats not good enough for me. To arrive at his conclusions on The book of Revelation he has to ignore a lot of scripture, I can’t envision a man of his intelligence can even believe some of the things he comes up with. And i can’t stand all the limp wristed people that come up with ” oh well lets all just hold hands and sing kumbaya and not argue”. Either you stand for truth or you stand for nothing.The tares are among us.