"Scripture connects as one theological Event - the Advent - Christ’s birth, life, resurrection, ascension, the outpouring of His Spirit upon the Church in A.D. 30, and the outpouring of His wrath upon Israel in the Holocaust of A.D. 66-70." (David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance, p. 285)

Acts 2:14-21 (Joel 2:28-32)
"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, ‘Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’"

" ‘Apocalyptic Cosmic Imagery ’ - The pictorial usage of heavenly objects in Biblical prophecy to indicate the cataclysmic state of national governments, leaders or prominent persons as a result of a major covenantal event. This includes the rising and falling of the sun, the moon, and the stars. One of the earliest (and simplest) examples can be found in Gen 37:9 and its fulfillment in Gen 42:6-9, when Joseph dreamed about his star ascending above his brothers' stars. Isaiah's prophecies use this technique more than any other prophet, but it is used throughout the Old Testament." 

This manner of speech should remind us of other areas of Scripture.

Revelation 6:12-13
"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth..."

Didn’t our Lord speak in similar language when describing His coming at AD 70?

Matthew 24:29
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken."

In all three passages, the next "event" that immediately follows is:

Joel 2:32 - 3:1
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem."

Revelation 7:1-4
"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."

Matthew 24:31
"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Again, in chronological order, ALL three passages refer to the same event:

Romans 11:1-5, 26-27
"I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men (compare 144,000 at AD 70), who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal (compare "who had not worshiped the beast or his image" Rev.20:4). Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace...
...And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, [Isaiah 59:20-21]  ‘There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:’ ‘For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins (Joel 3:21; Rev.7:14).’"

Joel 2:32-3:1
"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem."

"...the Bible speaks of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church and the destruction of Israel as being the same event, for they were intimately connected theologically. The prophet Joel foretold both the Day of Pentecost and the destruction of Jerusalem in one breath." (David Chilton, The Great Tribulation, p. 21)

Joel 3:2-21
"I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe (Rev.14:15-20; Matthew 13:36-43): come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more (see Eph.2:12-13,19-22). And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord (Rev.7:17, 21:6, 22:1,17) and shall water the valley of Shittim. But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed (Roms.11:27; Rev.7:14): for the Lord dwelleth in Zion."

Revelation 7:9, 14, 17
9. "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

14. ...These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Joel 3:21; Roms.11:27).

17. ...the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: (Joel 3:18) and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

"In Revelation 7:1-8 we find an interesting temporary divine protection of ‘the land’ where four angels are seen holding back the winds of destruction... Then follows the sealing of the 144,000 from the Twelve Tribes of Israel... Clearly the reference to the Twelve Tribes is to Christians... of Jewish extraction... they are contrasted with the "great multitude" from "every nation" who praise God (v.9). ...While speaking in the Olivet Discourse of the destruction of the very Temple to which the disciples could physically point... He also clearly taught that all of these things would happen to "this generation" (Matt. 24:32). Indeed, this coming event was to be "the great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21) - the very tribulation of which John writes (Rev. 7:14)." pp.232-234

"The Greek word for "tribe"...which in Scripture most frequently refers to the Jewish tribes. ...The term obviously has that import in Revelation 7:4ff., where it is used of each of the specifically named Twelve Tribes. ...Of course, where the term is found in connection with "every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation" in Revelation, such would not be the exclusive reference (cf. Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6)." pp.127-128

So, Dr. Gentry admits that:

1) the reference to the Twelve Tribes is to Christians of Jewish extraction... they are contrasted with the "great multitude" from "every nation" who praise God (v.9). The Greek word for "tribe" is not an exclusive reference to the Jewish tribes in Rev. 7:9.

2) Indeed, this coming event was to be "the great tribulation" - the very tribulation of which John writes (Rev. 7:14).

Matthew 25: 31-34
"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, (Mtt.16:27; 24:30-31) then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory (Rev.7:9 "before the throne and before the Lamb"): And before him shall be gathered all nations: (Joel 3:2,14 "I will also gather all nations... multitudes in the valley of decision"/ Rev.7:9 "a great multitude... of all nations stood before the throne") and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats (Joel 3:12 "there will I sit to judge all the heathen"): And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom (Dan.7:18-27) prepared for you from the foundation of the world:"

Matthew 16:27-28
"For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with the angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."

Jesus said that some of His disciples would live to see Him come in His glory, with His angels, and in His kingdom to reward each according to their works!

Do we believe Him?

Matthew 25:31-32, 34
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. (Mtt.13:49) ...Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

In both passages we have: the Son of Man coming in His glory, with His angels, and His kingdom to judge ALL!

It seems clear, that the partial preterist who wants to insert a 2,000 year gap into the Olivet Discourse, must also insert it between verses 1 and 2 of Joel chapter 3.

1. "For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem (remnant of Israel, 144,000 sealed of the tribes),

2. I will also gather all nations (the heathens), and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat...(judgment in the valley of decision, there will I sit to judge all the heathen)"

The same holds true for Revelation 7. For Dr. Gentry, he must bounce back and forth from AD 70 (v.8), to our future (v.9), and back to AD 70 (v.14).

8. "of the tribe(s)... were sealed..." - AD 70

9. "a great multitude... of all nations... stood before the throne, and before the Lamb" - must be future, if Matthew 25:31-34 is not yet fulfilled.

14. "These are they which came out of great tribulation..." - back to AD 70 again.

According to the partial preterist, how many more breaths must we take before Joel’s prophecy is fulfilled? And how many kingdom(s) are they saying the New Testament teaches?

"There are a good number of prophetic statements in Christ’s teaching regarding Jerusalem’s demise (e.g., Matt. 21:33-46...)" p.234

Matthew 21:38-45
"But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance (Psalm 2:8 "the nations for Thine inheritance"). And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Mtt.25 "the nations... inherit the kingdom") And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them."

Let’s take a look at Matthew 25:34 again:

"...Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Dr. Gentry concurs:

Is there another kingdom that will remain after the kingdom which cannot be shaken, is shaken? Partial preterism would have God say, "Yet twice more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."

Luke 1:33
"And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

The New Testament speaks of only one kingdom that would come. It was said to be, "at hand," "near," or "about to be." "And of His kingdom there will be no end." The New Testament speaks of only one coming judgment that was about to be, that would attend the kingdom. Both of these "events" would occur at the one New Testament "coming of the Son of Man."

They have a sort-of transference of the kingdom into its "eternal phase" at a future Advent. Where are the verses that support this?

Of course the consistent preterist would agree, "You’re absolutely right, the ‘eternal phase’ of Christ’s kingdom would come at His Second Advent. But, that was two thousand years ago."

The reason that Drs. Bahnsen and Gentry hold to this "now, not yet" idea is because, that’s what the New Testament teaches!

But, who was it that experienced the "now, not yet"?

It was the first-century, New Testament-times Christians. They lived during the "now, not yet."

"Thus, the Gospels emphasize on several occasions the nearness of His kingdom (Matt. 3:2; 4:12, 17; 10:7; 16:28; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 21:31). After the Gospels there is no longer any preaching of the kingdom as at hand because: The Kingdom Was Established During Christ’s Ministry." p.180

Luke 21:31
"Even so ye also, when ye see these things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh."

Yes, Jesus may have said this during His ministry which was recorded in Luke’s gospel, but to what was He referring?

"...Luke’s account in Luke 21, which definitely speaks of the A.D. 70 destruction of the physical temple to which the disciples actually pointed. (Gentry, Beast of Revelation, p. 128)

"The most significant, redemptive, historical action that takes place outside the New Testament, is the judgment that falls on Jerusalem, and by which judgment the Christian Church now emerges as The Body of Christ." (R.C. Sproul, Dust to Glory video series, 1997)

Revelation 11:15
"Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (note Rev.11:18’s resurrection)

"At this point in history God’s plan is made apparent: He has placed Jews and Gentiles on equal footing in the Covenant. The destruction of apostate Israel and the Temple revealed that God had created a new nation, a new Temple, as Jesus prophesied to the Jewish leaders: ‘Therefore I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it’ (Matt.21:43). Thus the Kingdom of God, the ‘Fifth Kingdom’ prophesied in Daniel 2, becomes universalized, as the heavenly choir sings: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.’"  p.287-288

"The catastrophe of Jerusalem really signalized the beginning of a new and world-wide kingdom, marking the full separation of the Christian Church from legalistic Judaism. The whole system of worship, so closely associated with Jerusalem and the Temple, received, as it were, a death blow from God himself." p.138

Revelation 12:10-11
"And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accuseth them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony; and they loved not their life even unto death."

The passages in Revelation 11 and 12, speak of the soon-to-occur fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.

Daniel 7:18, 21, 27
"But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom (Heb.12:28 "we are receiving [now, not yet] a kingdom"), and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever. ...and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time (Rev.12:10 "now is come... the kingdom of our God") came for the saints to possess (Mtt.25:34, the sheep, those on His right, inherit the kingdom) the kingdom. Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him."

Dr. Gentry even supports that the kingdom actually came at AD 70:

"In Mark 9:1 Jesus promises that some of his hearers would not "taste of death" before witnessing the "coming of the kingdom with power." This almost certainly refers to the destruction of the temple at the behest of Christ..." (Before Jerusalem Fell, p. lii)

Dr. Gentry failed to mention Mark 8:38. These two verses together (a most unusual place for a chapter division to say the least), Mark 8:38 and 9:1, parallel Matthew 16:27 and 28.

Mark 8:38-9:1
"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."

Matthew 16:27-28
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."

There’s the "now, not yet." The time between Christ’s ministry (the introduction of the kingdom), and His coming (the consummation of the kingdom) at AD 70 is what is reflected throughout the New Testament.

Note what Matthew 16:27 and 28 teaches:

Matthew 10:11, 14-15, 23; 11:20-24; 12:41-42, 45
"And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. ...And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. ...Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation."

Matthew 23:29-35
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets (Lev.26: 40-42). Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city (Mtt.10:23): That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation."

"...I do not believe that I am THEOLOGICALLY committed to requiring that both judgments (A.D. 70 and Second Advent) appear in Matthew’s Olivet Discourse. My evangelical creedal commitments require a Second Advent, to be sure, but not necessarily a Second Advent in Matthew 24-25. Indeed, these chapters could theoretically speak ONLY of A.D. 70 (even though I believe such would be quite awkward). I do not have any unyielding theological commitments against applying the entire Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 to A.D. 70. If these chapters apply only to A.D. 70, so be it!"

If [Gentry] were to take the whole Olivet discourse as already fulfilled... then he is left with the problem of where does the Bible actually teach the second coming?

Dr. Gentry states that he is willing to have the entire Olivet Discourse, Matthew 24 and 25, apply to AD 70. If this is the case, God sure does down-play the supposed "End of the World!" doesn’t He? It seems that more and more passages are being "applied" to AD 70, and less and less to the end of the world. But, Dr. Gentry will continue to hold to that future-to-him coming because of his "evangelical creedal commitments."

How much more of the New Testament is the partial preterist going to give away to AD 70 before they realize, "You know what, I’ve run out of verses, the Bible really doesn’t say anything about the end of the world does it?"

Actually, the Bible does address the "end of the world" issue:

Psalm 78:69
"And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever."

Psalm 104:5
"Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever."

Psalm 119:90
"Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth."

Ecclesiastes 1:4
"One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever."

Ephesians 3:21
"Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Also:

Genesis 8:21-22
"And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

Psalm 148:4-6
"Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass."

"Unfortunately, none of the major translations cited above (NASB, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NIV, etc. JEGjr.) translates Revelation 1:19 in a literal fashion. Although, interestingly, several do translate the same verb in a more literal fashion when it appears in Revelation 3:10. ...Marshall’s The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, however, (is) quite literal in both instances. The relevant phrases read: "the things which are about to occur" (Rev.1:19) and "being about to come" (Rev.3:10)." p.141

I have to agree with Dr. Gentry here. If I had my choice in the matter, I also would prefer the "more literal fashion" over the not-so-literal fashion.

"...a more accurate translation of the verse suggests another more reasonable interpretation (which we adopt): ‘I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom.’" p.188

In their fight against premil-dispensationalism, Drs. Bahnsen and Gentry chose to use the NASB, which they consider to be a "more accurate translation" of II Timothy 4:1.

"...The charge, then, would be with a two-fold emphasis on the basis of the fact that Christ Jesus, who is the Judge, will judge the living and the dead, ‘both [by] the appearance of him and [by] the kingdom of him,’ that is, by His Second Advent and by His Kingdom." p.188

One question: Why wasn’t II Timothy 4:1 quoted in its entirety?

Let’s take a look at how Mr. Marshall translates II Timothy 4:1

"I solemnly witness before - God and Christ Jesus, the [one] being about to judge living [ones] and dead, both [by] the appearance of him and [by] the kingdom of him."

By Drs. Bahnsen and Gentry’s own admission, the Judgment was to have taken place "both [by] the appearance of him and [by] the kingdom of him."

"...the fact that Christ Jesus, who is the Judge, will judge the living and the dead, ‘both [by] the appearance of him and [by] the kingdom of him,’ that is, by His Second Advent and by His Kingdom."

Hebrews 9:28
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

Where did our phrases, "Second Coming," and "Second Advent" come from? Surely, it was Hebrews 9:28!

I Corinthians 2:8
"...which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

During what "age" was our Lord crucified?

Titus 2:12
"teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age"

II Thessalonians 1:4-10 (Weymouth, New Testament In Modern Speech, 1909)
"...we ourselves (Paul, Silas and Timothy) make honourable mention of you (Thessalonian Christians) among the Churches of God because of your patience and faith amid all your persecutions and amid the afflictions which you are enduring. For these are a plain token of God’s righteous judgement, which has in view your being deemed worthy of admission to God’s Kingdom (Mtt.25:34 "inherit the kingdom"), for the sake of which, indeed, you are sufferers. A plain token of God’s righteous judgement, I say, since it is a righteous thing for Him to requite with affliction those who are now afflicting you; and to requite with rest you who are suffering affliction now - rest with us at the re-appearing (Heb.9:28 "appear the second time") of the Lord Jesus from Heaven, attended by His mighty angels (Mtt.16:27; 24:30-31; 25:31). He will come in flames of fire to take vengeance on those who have no knowledge of God, and do not obey the Good News as to Jesus, our Lord. They will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, being banished from the presence of the Lord and from His glorious majesty, when He comes on that day..."

Take a close look at this last verse, and compare to:

Matthew 25:41, 46
"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire... And these will go away into everlasting punishment..."

Actually, compare the entire sheep and goats passage (Mtt.25:31-46) with the above II Thessalonians passage. In both we have: Christ coming with His angels. The living Christians inheriting the Kingdom. And the unrighteous paying the penalty.

II Timothy 4:1 NKJV
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will (being about to, JEGjr) judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom."

"...the fact that Christ Jesus, who is the Judge, will judge the living and the dead, ‘both [by] the appearance of him and [by] the kingdom of him,’ that is, by His Second Advent and by His Kingdom." (House Divided, p.188, emphasis JEGjr)

"The belief that Christ’s Second Advent, with its accompaniments of a resurrection and a judgment, took place at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem rests on precisely the same basis as the expectation of the events ever taking place; namely, on the plain, emphatic, and continually repeated statements of our Lord and His apostles given beforehand...He himself predicted that these events would take place at the close of the Jewish dispensation. To Christian believers this affords the strongest possible presumption that they did take place...The burden of proof in the argument rests not on those who assert, but on those who deny the past advent...To deny the truth of His predictions because we are unable historically to verify a certain portion of them is simply to make manifest the shallowness of our faith in Him. To disprove the truth of those predictions would be to shake the Christian religion to its very foundations. Let God and God’s Son be true, and, if need be, every mere man a liar!"

Because in the opinion of some, not by sound exegesis, the living and the dead have not been judged yet, II Timothy 4:1 is therefore reserved for some future-to-us appearing and kingdom.

With His holy angels and His Father’s glory to reward every man, but it wasn’t;
With His Holy Angels and His Father’s Glory to Reward Every Man!

Dr. Gentry fights to have "mello" work for his purpose against premil-dispensationalism:

Daniel 12:4, 9
"‘But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end...’
And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.’"

12:4 seal the book. Sealing the book preserves it unaltered as it awaits fulfillment. p.1355

Matthew 24:15
"Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet..."

Daniel 12:11
"And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up..."

Daniel 9:27
"...in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to the sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined..."

"The usefulness of this passage is enhanced by the fact that Christ draws from it in His Olivet Discourse (cf. Matt. 24:15) which is clearly related to the A.D. 70 destruction of the Temple (cf. Matt. 24:1-2)." (John F. Walvoord on Daniel 9:24-27, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 35)

Matthew 24:21
"For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be."

Daniel 12:1b
"And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time."

Daniel 12 screams of AD 70 fulfillment, and the partial preterist knows it, so it is posited there. But what about those pesky resurrection verses? They sure do throw a monkey wrench into the works don’t they?

Daniel 12:1-2, 13
"At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time (Mtt.24:21): and at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." (Rev.20:12-15)

"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."

These are resurrection passages! If you were a Jew, having been taught Daniel’s prophecy your whole life, when would you have expected the resurrection and the "end of the days" to be? Upon a simple, straight-forward reading, your only conclusion could be:

Daniel 12:1,7,11
"...there shall be a time of trouble... when the power of the holy people is completely shattered... And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up..."

"...the fall of Jerusalem and the annulment of the temple’s sacrificial system." (Gentry, Beast of Revelation, p.xiv)

Matthew 23:36-24:2
"Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... See! Your house is left to you desolate... Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

In the very next verse, Matthew 24:3, why did the disciples ask what they did?

How did they know what questions to ask?

"...Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

"...the end of the Temple and the Jewish age (Matt.24:2, [3], 15-16)." (Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell, p.242, emphasis JEGjr)

Jesus just finished telling them that their Temple and city would all be destroyed. How did the disciples know to tie the destruction of Jerusalem, with His coming and the end of the age?
Could it be because they knew Daniel 12?

Daniel 12:7b
"...and when the power of the holy people is completely shattered, all these things shall be finished."

Luke 21:20, 22
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near...For these are the days of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

Daniel 12:2
"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." AD 70 context.

Matthew 25:46
"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous (the sheep, Rev.7:9’s "great multitude of all nations, clothed with white robes") into eternal life." Olivet Discourse, AD 70 context.

Daniel 12:8-9
"Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, ‘My lord, what shall be the end of these things?’ And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.’"

Revelation 22:10
"And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand."

"...Thayer expands on the idea of the word (Gr. engus, "near" or "at hand," JEGjr): ‘...concerning things imminent and soon to come to pass.’ He lists Revelation 1:3 and 22:10 in his series of examples. The word is used frequently of chronologically near events, such as approaching summer (Matt. 24:32), the Passover (Matt. 26:18; John 2:13; 11:55), the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2), etc. How could events related to the collapse of the Roman Empire two or three hundred years in the future be considered "at hand"...? ...Several generations of these Christians would have waxed and waned over such a period. Even more difficult to understand is how events two or three thousand years in the future could be considered "at hand" ...How could such events so remotely stretched out into the future be "at hand"? But if the expected events were to occur within a period of from one to five years... then all becomes clear."

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Matthew 16:27-28 (exact form as Rev.1:19, that Dr. Gentry favors)
"For the Son of man is about to come with His angels in the glory of His Father. And then He will give reward to each according to his action. Truly I say to you, There are some standing here who in no way will taste of death until they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom."

Acts 17:31 (exact form as Mtt.16:27 and Rev.1:19 )
"...because he set a day in which he is about to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness, by a man whom he designated, a guarantee offering to all having raised up him out of [the] dead." Alfred Marshall’s, The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament

I Peter 5:1,4 (exact form as Rev.3:10, that Dr. Gentry favors)
"I, a fellow elder, exhort the elders among you, I being also witness of the sufferings of Christ, and [being] sharer of the glory about to be revealed. ...And [at] the appearing of the Chief Shepherd, you(fellow elders JEGjr)will receive the never-fading crown of glory"

Hebrews 1:14
"Are they not all ministering spirits for service, being sent out because of the [ones] being about to inherit salvation (compare Heb.9:28 "Christ shall appear a second time without sin to those expecting Him for salvation")."

In conclusion, I believe that the partial preterist position violates much of the plain teaching of Scripture, simply because they refuse to let the Scriptures plainly teach. Their predilection of a future coming of Christ, forces a still future resurrection. That in turn, makes for all sorts of twists and turns: 2,000 year leaps from AD 70, to our future, back to AD 70 again; picking and choosing when and where audience relevance should or shouldn’t apply...

How did the time-statements ever change one coming into two anyway? "Oh, I can dump all of those bothersome time-statements off at AD 70, and still keep my future-to-me Coming?" No, you can’t! The partial preterist position is constantly in transition. You never know what’s going to be given up to AD 70 next.

Who knows maybe II Timothy 4:1?

"The more I pondered the awesome implications of Jesus’ words, the more I realized their truly revolutionary significance for eschatology. Without exception, every event foretold by the Biblical prophets was fulfilled within that generation, as Jesus said." "Scripture foretells a Second Coming – not a third!"  (~David Chilton, Foreword to What Happened in AD 70? By Ed Stevens, 1997)