The End Times: A Confession of a Mini-Dispensationalist tagged: , , , ,

The End Times: A Confession of a Mini-Dispensationalist

Posted by in Bible & Theology

Joel Rosenberg is one of my favorite fictional authors. His series of works within a biblical apocalyptic genre is, in my opinion, both sensational and numbing. Sensational in that he can write himself out of a paper bag (unlike LaHaye and Jenkins who in the Left Behind series became moribund, drab, one to two dimensional, and otherwise plain old boring and confusing). Numbing in that, as a believer coming from a Jewish background, he seems to have the biblical background and the numerous contacts to be able to see ahead to the next cataclysmic event in world history. The series of his adventures started with the work The Last Jihad (Carol Stream Illinois:Tyndale House Publishers, 2001) and includes The Last Days (2003), The Ezekiel Option (2005), The Copper Scroll (2006), and the finale du jour, Dead Heat (2008).

The writer makes no claims that his work of fantasy and fiction are on par with Biblical prophecy. He admittedly shares that his works are based on a certain “interpretation” of Biblical truth, of which he forthrightly shares “I hope I am wrong” (Dead Heat, Author’s Note, xii). His presuppositions (written in the non-fictional work entitled Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings In the Middle East Will Change Your Future [2005]) are based on a “dispensational” interpretation of Biblical prophecy, primarily to the text of Ezekiel 36, 37, 38, 39, 40.

What has fascinated some critics is a certain accuracy portrayed the the fictional events to real life events. Some of the items that occur in the fictional account that happened later in actual world events are:

1)Suicidal attempt with air planes as an terrorist attack

2)The removal of Saddam Hussein and his regime from Iraq

3)The beginnings of an alliance between Iran and Russia

4)The arrival of a President of Iran who threatens world peace and the removal of both the United States and Israel from the world scene by nuclear weapons

5)The death of Yasser Aarafat and the chaos that this event has brought about in Gaza and the West Bank

These are just some of the things that happened in Joel’s fictional account that later, in one form or another, occurred after he wrote about it. Joel is careful to distinguish between Biblical prophecy and his work of fiction: “So far as the [Biblical] prophecies are concerned…the world is destined to see such horrors come to pass. When? I cannot say. How exactly will such events play out? One can only speculate…Only the Lord Himself knows” (Ibid.) Joel refers to his method of understanding prophecy and predicting current and future events from them as a “Third Lens” – using the lens or optic of Scripture, current and future events have meaning as they have been foreseen and foretold as Amos clearly stated (Amos 3:6-7):

Is a trumpet blown in a city,
and the people are not afraid?
Does disaster come to a city,
unless the Lord has done it?
For the Lord God does nothing
without revealing his secret
to his servants the prophets.

Joel Rosenberg, through both his connections and the proceeds of his works has began a visionary missionary/evangelical endeavor in the Middle East entitled, “The Joshua Fund.” Through this emphasis of relief, the poor in Israel and surrounding nations are being reached with support and ministry in the name of Jesus. Many Arabs and Jews are coming to the realization of the truthfulness of the gospel because of folks like Joel Rosenberg who put “their money where their mouth is.” Joel’s website can be found at www.joelrosenberg.com while the Joshua Fund can be found at www.joshuafund.net.

Often many of my fellow servants, Baptists, and compatriots all go apocalyptic whenever dispensational eschatology is broached in one of these popular, best selling works (or any venue for that matter). Popular authors of who are on the forefront of these things from Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impe, John Hagee, with Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins were tossed about and called in my seminary New Testament class “dispensational pimps.” These folks were lambasted and criticized often because of their “lack of scholarship,” “simpleton beliefs,” “Zionist views,” and the like. There were a few Calvinists among them (although this particular view is not merely related to those who are Calvinists) who called both the teaching of and the resurgence of dispensationalism (at least in the realm of eschatology) as “dangerous” and worthy of scorn and ridicule. The primary emphasis held by both my instructor and the class at large was primarily agnosticism (“it does not matter”) to a segment of a-millennial supporters within in a “replacement” paradigm. Of course the problem I found with the first view was if they truly did not care, why did it matter what some dispensationalist wrote? And with the other, it seemed all they centered their attention was around the current Jewish state and how ungodly it was to support it than not – as if that really mattered at all either – in a world of dictators, is it not important to keep close a democratic friend irregardless if the Jews continue to remain the “Chosen” or not?

While I am comfortable in my mini-dispensational position, I am open to any suggestions and alternatives. I am comfortable in the fact that a majority (maybe not a overwhelming majority, but a majority nonetheless) of both people in the pews and Pastors behind the pulpit in the SBC hold to my view of eschatology – the imminent return of Jesus Christ for His bride the church which will leave the world in cataclysm and tribulation – the Jewish people being given another opportunity to view Him “who they pierced” from the front row seat of the land promised by covenant to the blood descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – a Holocaust of unimaginable proportions upon both Christians and Jews, perpetrated by a dictator of whom the Bible describes as “Anti-Christ” – that if truly if the Lord would delay His return in those days, “no flesh would remain alive” – culminating with the triumphal return of Jesus Christ with His saints, who will then rule and reign with them for 1000 years.

We can have a discussion of this view or any other here. But let us refrain from some major pitfalls as often time comes about when this subject is discussed:

1) If this is a secondary or “tertiary” issue, then no one is ignorant – just a different view – right? You may be rebelling in difference to the teaching of childhood or the “majority”as you see it. You may have come away from Scripture with a different view from mine. That is okay – we can do that. What I have found in both my seminary class as well as on the blogosphere that even though some may claim “this is unimportant” they often spend a lot of time “greasing the skids” of their opponents on this issue. If we can have differing views on spiritual gifts, ecclesiology, and other things (I am speaking to the “reformers” primarily here) then this is as much of a view that deserves your tolerance and respect as all the others;

2)Be forewarned that I have a low tolerance for ad hominems and pejoratives. I particularly abhor the term “Zionism” in deference to my views and “Zionists” to both Jews and Christians. While the word itself is merely the link to the belief of a Jewish homeland in “the Land,” it has also been subverted by the enemies of Jews, in particular to reference those Jews who live in Israel today. It is a pejorative used by Hamas, Al-Qaeda, other Arabs, and virulent Anti-Semitic groups. If you don’t like being accused of being Anti-Semitic when you are not, then refrain from using it here. Sorry, I must insist.

3)If you want to complain about the approach of the “dispensational p____” then please resist. If you want to write a book about your view then by all means take the time and see if anybody will publish it. What is apparent to me is that this genre fills a current niche in current culture. Go look in your bookstores, be it secular or religious. The shelves are stacked a mile thick of apocalyptic “best sellers.” Recent films generally show how popular this genre is from “I am Legend” to the “Terminator” ( a series that has been ongoing on for two decades and has not ended yet). There is a sense in the current culture that humanity is headed for a cataclysmic culmination of world events. What a better way to speak to the culture in agreement with that view, and settle the notion that Jesus is the only way one can be saved from the wrath to come? What should be notable about these works from the dispensational view (to some admittedly more “pure fiction” than to others it seems) is that in each a clear and convincing message of the Gospel is included. Hal Lindsey said that he received at least seven million letters from around the world claiming that a reader came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ by the reading of the his books – and what is most notable is that many who did so later came out in opposition to his dispensational presuppositions! We can discus the author’s works – that is fair game. But don’t go over the line by bringing up extraneous issues like “John Hagee is non-denominational.” Discussions like “two covenant” theology has merit (none of these authors claim agreement with that concept) but keep it focused please.

Okay, with the warnings in place let the discussions begin!