And It Came to Pass

And It Came to Pass - Third Annual CEF Symposium: Preterism was published in 1993, and it is almost impossible to find; try searching online for it. Not anymore. American Vision has reprinted it.  The book is a compilation of essays from the Third Annual Conference on Evangelical Theology (CEF), focusing on the theological perspective of preterism—the belief that most biblical prophecies, especially those in the New Testament, were fulfilled in the first century, particularly with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

The book features a foreword by R. C. Sproul that is worth the price of the book. He wrote, “The modern revival of preterism represents an interesting and important paradigm shift in eschatology. The advantage of preterism is that it ‘saves the phenomena’ of the New Testament time-frame references; it interprets biblical prophecy according to the images used in Scripture itself; and it offers a framework for consistent interpretation of the difficult apocalyptic literature of the Bible, such as that found in Daniel and Revelation. … Serious study and dialogue are needed if we are to reach agreement as to how far preterism is to go and what remains for the hope of the church’s and the cosmos' future in the full plan of redemptive history.”

Every chapter is significant. James Nance notes that “Jesus came in His kingdom, to judge His enemies and bless His people who waited patiently for Him” based on Matthew 16:27-28, Luke 17:24-30, and James 5:7-9. In my debate with Doug Wilson, I noted that Matthew 16:27 refers to the near-coming of Jesus to that generation. At first, he disagreed. He later said that he is “agnostic” on what Matthew 16:27 refers to. Nance applied it to AD 70.

Wilson’s chapter “Biblical Pictures of the New Cosmos” examines the meaning of “New Heavens and New Earth” language, a view that stands in opposition to Ken Gentry’s position. It’s an excellent study. Wilson and Gentry signed the Three Questions Letter, but even they could not agree on everything.

Douglas Jones’ chapter is titled “Daniel’s Seventy Weeks: Imposing an Impotent Atonement,” a very necessary study because so much of prophecy speculation today relies on Daniel’s 69 weeks of years (483 years), a gap of 2000 years so far, and then a final week of seven years. If there is no gap, dispensationalism falls apart.

Gregory C. Dixon discusses the Olivet Discourse: “Apocalypse Then: The Historical Doctrines Of Matthew 24.” It’s a brief but cogent study. It’s great for a beginner who is new to preterism. The book of Revelation is treated by Chris Schlect. No need to read a thousand-page commentary to get a bird's-eye view of the meaning of the most symbolic book in the Bible.

A second piece by James Nance is a study of the Antichrists of John’s letters and the Beasts in Revelation 13, while T.J. Morin deals with “The Harlot” in Revelation 17 and 18. Douglas Wilson concludes the book by asking the question, “Who Cares?”
•    Why does eschatology matter?
•    Why can't Christians just agree to preach the gospel, instead of concentrating on and differing over their various eschatological views?

And It Came to Pass is a great book that should be in every Christian’s library. It serves as an antidote to wild and not-so-wild prophetic speculation that is rampant today. Buy copies for your friends who have questions. It’s non-technical but powerfully straightforward. — Gary DeMar

From the Foreword— “One of the ironies of church history is that a biblical text that reveals one of the most astonishing prophecies of a future event has served as a crucial launch pad for devastating critical theories that assail the inspiration and authority of the Bible.

“I am thinking, of course, of Christ’s vivid prediction of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem that is discussed in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Here, clearly decades before the event that occurred in 70 A.D., Jesus gives what almost appears as an eyewitness account. His prophecy is not a studied ambiguity such as those found in the Oracle of Delphi or in the predictions of false prophets. That Jesus’ concrete prediction was so uncannily accurate is strong testimony to His possession of supernatural knowledge.

“I commend this volume as a fine introduction to some of the most fascinating and important elements of preterist interpretation and hope that it will stimulate serious, scholarly research and discussion into the questions that remain in doubt.” — R.C. Sproul (1939-2017), founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries

Paperback, ePub or PDF Download; 148 pages