When we study the history of prophetic speculation, we soon realize that we’ve heard all of this before.For nearly 2000 years uninformed but assured Christians have predicted that “they were the generation that would see the end times … and the return of Christ.” In each and every case the prophetic prognosticators have been wrong. Seemingly not learning from this dismal t [...]

Jesus warned the Church at Ephesus that He would come and remove their lampstand “unless you repent” (Rev. 2:5). He issued a similar warning to the church at Pergamum: “Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them [i.e., the Nicolaitans] with the sword of My mouth (2:16; see 19:15). Sardis is forewarned using similar judgment language: “If therefore you wi [...]

Not long ago, I received an email from a woman who asked me if I could direct her to some information that refutes Gnosticism. She wrote that a friend of hers “claims to be on an extraordinarily intense spiritual ‘pilgrimage’ of ‘really pressing in to know God intimately’—but this guy has in effect divorced himself from the material world and from all relationships (including his wife and 10 child [...]

Gary interacts with a short video by Jack Hibbs discussing what’s happening in the Middle East and claiming it’s a fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 and 39, Gog and Magog. Getting the interpretation of prophecy right will help in dealing with those who are not familiar with the topic and see danger in some of the talk about an inevitable nuclear holocaust. When a prominent prophecy writer asso [...]

I love reading older commentaries that have not been tainted by elements of dispensationalism and where the authors had the freedom to publish their works without being shunned or denounced. Lightfoot is hard to go up against since his academic bona fides are difficult to question. Lightfoot was one of the original members of the Westminster Assembly that produced the Westminster Standards. His be [...]

In this conversation between Gary and Kim Burgess, the two discuss their other podcast, Covenant Hermeneutics and Biblical Eschatology. The people in Jesus’ day saw the kingdom of God only in externals. They visualized the kingdom of God as coming, not through regeneration, but by revolution. Jesus said of His followers: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but beca [...]

Gary looks into many verses in the New Testament about whether or not Jesus drank wine with his disciples after His resurrection. Jesus gave us the meal as a New Covenant meal. And He specifically said the covenant was in the cup—not bread, or meat, or water, or anything else, but the cup which He held. It contained “the fruit of the vine”—that is, wine. This wine was “the new covenant in my blood [...]

Since I’ve been studying eschatology, there has been a great deal of pushback. First it came from dispensationalists. This was expected since it’s where I spent most of my time and effort. It’s the dominant view today. In fact, it’s dominated the prophetic landscape for nearly 200 years. End-time thinking, and prophetic prognostication goes back further as Francis X. Gumerlock demonstrates in his [...]

Gary responds to an interview with author Jerry Jenkins of Left Behind fame “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). This means, it is said, that “God’s arithmetic is different from ours,” so that when Scripture uses terms like “near” and “shortly” (e.g., Rev. 1:1, 3) or “at hand” (e. [...]

Gary answers two listener questions Matthew 24:3 reads more accurately, “the end of the age” (aiōn), not the “end of the world” (kosmos) as some translations have it. The “end of the age” refers to the expiration of a period of time that specifically applied to the passing away of the Old Covenant era (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 15:24; Luke 24:27, 44). The writer of Hebrews described this time as “these [...]

One of the few chapel messages I remember from my seminary days was delivered by Dr. Jack Scott. He began by outlining all the supposed orthodox statements made by Job’s “friends.” He then asked: “Right or wrong?” Not waiting for a response, he nearly shouted, “Wrong!” Some of the comments I’ve received in emails, private messages, and on Facebook come from “miserable comforters.” Eliphaz, Bildad, [...]

God’s Kingdom does not break into this world without opposition. Paul wrote: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). While Paul’s first-century readers were enduring suffering, they were also the ones that would have “the glory” revealed to them. The temporary gl [...]

While the Creeds and Confessions take us so far on the topic of eschatology, so many of the proof texts used to support their arguments are misplaced. Other than a future judgment of the living and the dead and the resurrection of the body/dead, and that God’s “kingdom will have no end … and the life of the world to come,” little else is said about eschatology (i.e., future things) in most histori [...]

Gary concludes his response to his critics with this episode. What about Revelation 1:7 which states, “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him” (cf. Isaiah 40:5), even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the land will mourn over Him”? The fact that “those who pierced Him” would see this event take place, we must conclude that what was revealed to John [...]

Kim begins looking at Romans 8 in this study. Imminency, persecution, and glory are key themes that must be carefully studied in this passage in light of many other New Testament passages. First century believers were “eagerly awaiting” something to happen in their day. What are the “birth pangs” Paul writes about in Romans 8:22? What was this new thing that was being broug [...]

The claim has been made that “Gary DeMar has changed his eschatological beliefs” or that he’s been “bewitched.” Not so. These types of comments show how desperate some people are to avoid answering the hard questions. The questions I was asking in 1998 are the same ones I’m asking today (see below). The difference is that I have studied the topic in greater detail, but the original questions and t [...]

Gary continues his response to his questioning critics. Listen to Part 4 here. Jesus was not declaring a new set of rules for the church to obey by discounting what had been written in what Christians know as the “Old Testament.” He was simply holding His first-century audience accountable for how they were misreading Scripture and urging them not to rely on what they had heard was written. For ex [...]

Gary responds by looking at a few of the Bible verses used in the “Unorthodox Eschatology” statement. Without a proper context, a verse from the Bible could be used to support atheism, because as one out-of-context passage reads, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). The full reading of a passage in its proper context reveals its true meaning: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no Go [...]

A new statement has appeared from the same group demanding answers from Gary. Scripture verses have finally been included, giving him a place to begin interacting with both the original three questions and the statement. Modern writers from all different eschatological positions are beginning to recognize the historical fact that preterist interpretations of John’s visions are not a novelty that h [...]

With AD30 in the rear-view mirror and AD70 still to occur, the New Testament documents are written during a short time period with a high level of expectancy and imminency. Kim Burgess continues his look at Romans 11, especially verses 25-26. Salvation comes to the Gentiles through the Jews, not in spite of them. Paul says he was in chains “for the hope of Israel” in Acts 28:20. So wha [...]