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Due to the most recent upheaval in the Gaza Strip, I am reposting this paper I wrote about covenant theology in relation to eschatology during my first year at seminary in 2001.

Because of the pervasiveness of dispensationalism, Reformed theologians and pastors may be tempted to give up trying to extract believers from the grip of premillennial dispensationalism. Evidences of the popularity of this view are plenty. Left Behind books are always on the bestseller lists. Many believers study eschatology with the Bible in one hand and the news of the latest Middle East upheaval in the other. Even in Reformed and Presbyterian churches, Bible study and Sunday school teachers expound on what the 144,000 Jews will be doing during the Great Tribulation. Colleges which advocate the pretribulational, premillennial view far outnumber Reformed, covenantal ones.

Why should we as Reformed, covenantal believers try to tackle such a seemingly insurmountable system? In addition to its questionable use of Scripture, one of the major influences of popular dispensationalism has global implications in recent history, and should encourage us to persist “against all odds.” Even before a part of Palestine was carved out for the state of Israel in 1948, American evangelicals had always seen Israel as the prophetic key to endtime events. They strongly believe, with some fear included, that God is still fulfilling his promises to Abraham in Israel today when he said, “I will bless those who bless you [Abraham], and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen.12:3). Why do Americans have this unwavering support for Israel?

Read more here.

Turmoil: This last week has been full of turmoil in the Philippines. A former government official who has turned whistle-blower has implicated people in high places, including the First Gentleman in a huge bribery scandal. It seems that there’s a growing movement for the ouster of the present administration. This reminds me of the big question in the U. S. when there’s a presidential crisis: “What did the president know, and when did he know it?” (This was Sen. Howard Baker’s question during the Watergate scandal.) Right now, the country is on hold.

Driving hazards: Last week, I got pulled over for the 5th time in my 8 years of driving in the Philippines. (Compare this to one minor moving violation in 25 years of driving in the U.S.) It gets frustrating, and infuriating, when you get cited for “reckless driving” while driving 10 miles an hour! This is because the traffic police make up traffic rules on the fly so they can augment their income. I drive a lot to teach – about 10 hours a week – through streets that my son called “an obstacle course” of jeepneys, buses, motorcycles, tricycles, bicycles, carts, jaywalkers, beggars, vendors, cows, goats, chickens, dogs, cats, cockroaches, anything you can think of.

Inquirers: At seminary, my young students finally aren’t intimidated by this old, American-educated “theologian” who uses long English words (“anthropomorphism” “propitiation”) and strange Greek words (“dikaiosune” “hilasterion“). More and more, they detain me after class for additional inquiries about “limited atonement,” “liturgical worship,” and other things. I’m very thankful for what I see as intellectual progress and spiritual maturity. This is also true in a Wednesday Bible study on Hebrews I conduct for about 10 adults. It’s very rewarding.

Preaching: I still preach once a month in a church 5 hours north of Manila. Once in a while, I get invited to preach in other places, such as on Thursday (Valentine’s Day!), when I’ll be leading worship and preaching at the Presbyterian seminary where I’m teaching. I’m taking this opportunity to introduce Reformed worship to the students, of which I’m writing a series of posts in my Doctrine Unites! blog.

Uncertainties: I finally submitted my application package to Action International Ministries, and Evelyn will complete hers, hopefully soon. We have a very important family event in October (more on this in later posts), so we have to be in California at that time. We’re still not sure if we’ll go back on furlough this summer, or postpone our furlough for the end of October till January 2009. And Rachel doesn’t want to miss her first quarter, at least, of her freshman year in high school, so we’ll weigh the pros and cons of both schedules.

Lost? Call Pizza Emergency: Rachel just came back from her outdoor education trip to Taal Volcano’s crater lake with many exciting stories. On their jungle hike, Rachel and her group of four girls were lost for a few hours, but one girl carried her cell phone. Here’s a part of their conversation about their predicament:

Rachel, Twyla: We’re lost!
Heidi, Ashley: We have to get back to camp before dark!
Twyla: Let’s call 911!
Rachel: Twyla, why would you want to call Pizza Hut?
Twyla: Oh yeah, I forgot.

Pizza Hut’s delivery number is 911-1111.

Here are the answers to the “Armageddon Now!?” quiz:

1. Martin, Bishop of Tours, c. 300 AD

2. Thomas Muntzer, radical Anabaptist, 1520

3. Clarence Larkin, dispensationalist false prophet, 1918

4. Ronald Reagan, U.S. president (1981-89), 1971

5. Hal Lindsey, chronic false prophet, 1980

Endtime nuttiness has been around for as long as the New Testament church has existed. The first most popular prophecy nut was the heretic Montanus who predicted that Jesus would come back to set up his earthly kingdom in Phrygia (present-day Turkey) about 150 AD. In the mold of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (Second Coming in 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975), Hal Lindsey has revised his first book (1970), The Late Great Planet Earth, many times over to justify his continuing failed prophecies. Undoubtedly too, the authors and publishers of Left Behind (15 books) dispensationalist hysteria see every major Middle East crisis, like the present one, as an opportunity to fatten their coffers.

In contrast, there’s not one modern Reformed amillennialist who venture into this endtime nuttiness, which scoffers use as ammunition against Biblical teaching on the Second Coming of Christ.

What think ye?

Evangelicals are surely focused again on the events in the Middle East. So I have a fun “quiz” for all:

Who Said These? (5 different people)

1. “There is no doubt that the Antichrist has already been born. Firmly established already in his early years, he will, after reaching maturity, achieve supreme power.”

2. “The time of the harvest is at hand… I have sharpened my sickle.”

3. “At no time in the history of the Christian Church have the conditions necessary to the Lord’s return been so completely fulfilled as at the present time.”

4. “For the first time ever, everything is in place for the Battle of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Christ.”

5. “We are the generation that will see the end times… and the return of Jesus.”

Wild guesses are acceptable, and will not be ridiculed. No Google searches, please. Answers in a few days. In the meantime, let’s all pray for our Lebanese, Palestinian, Israeli, and Iraqi brothers and sisters.

Hint: one is a politician, three are pastors, and another one a cult leader.

More hints: The politician was a recent U.S. president; two are popular dispensationalists (you know, the Secret Rapture, Left Behind kind).

Answers below.