Reformed Premillenialism and Horatius Bonar

"In the nineteenth century Horatius Bonar published his Prophetic Landmarks: Containing Data for helping to Determine the Question of Christ’ Premillenial Advent, which is a solid and judicious premillennial apology.  This upholder of the doctrines of sovereign grace considered the pivotal issue regarding a right perception of prophetic revelation to be the primacy of the nature and destiny of the Jewish people in the whole eschatological scheme of things.  He wrote,

The prophesies concerning Israel are the key to all the rest.  True principles of interpretation, in regard to them, will aid us in disentangling and illustrating all prophecy together.  False principles as to them will most thoroughly perplex and overcloud the whole Word of God. (3)

This significant point will be recommended quite frequently throughout this book. Indeed at this juncture we coin the term “Judeo-centric Eschatology” since it offers such a cohesive basis for the integration of various elements of biblical prophecy, and even more so than the common premillennial resource to Revelation 20.  Given a right understanding of Israel in relation to the Christian Church, an eschatology will nevertheless result that incorporates an essentially premillennial understanding of Revelation 20."

(3) H. Bonar, Prophetical Landmaks: Containing Data for helping to Determine the Question of Christ’s Pre-millenial Advent (5^th ed.; London: J. Nisbet, 1876), 228. 

Future Israel: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged (Barry Horner)

Those who have embraced unconditional election and the doctrines of sovereign grace should also welcome Text-driven Premillennialism. In his pot stirring series, Why Every Self-Respecting Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist John MacArthur mentions an insightful new book titled, Future Israel: Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged.   This book is part of the NAC Commentary Studies in Bible and Theology.

As I mentioned last time the introduction of Future Israel is worth the price of the book.  Today's article is the second part of a series of articles on the subject of Biblical eschatology (see part one).   Dr. Horner describes his theological journey with these helpful insights:  "More recently, a closer study of four books of the Bible has led me now to more firmly assert that the basic premillennial model of biblical prophesy, and especially as it relates to ethnic and national Israel, is closest to the truth of Scripture.  First, there was a study of Zechariah, so permeated with the ultimate triumph of the Messiah and the nation of Israel.  The prophet speaks of God’s vindication on earth when He “will become king over all the earth- Yahweh alone, and His name alone” (Zech 14:9).1  I will never forget the study of David Baron’scommentary on this book, which seemed so much more illuminating to the text than Calvin’s.

Then a close study of Romans over several years, and particularly chaps. 9-11, resulted in an indelible impression that for Paul, the converted Hebrew rabbi, Israel has n ongoing national identity, its unbelief notwithstanding.  On the other hand, it seemed as if Reformed exegesis, at least on a prima facie reading of the text, was attempting to avoid the obvious.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CHRISTIAN SERMONS

photo credit: rookiepreacher.com

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CHRISTIAN SERMONS

 (By Art Azurdia)

1) Exegetical accuracy 

2) Doctrinal substance

3) Clear structure

4) Vivid illustrations

5) Pointed textual application

6) Helpful delivery

7) Supernatural authority (Spirit-filled Preaching)

Preaching Epistolary Literature (Azurdia)

"When interpreting/preaching New Testament epistles keep in mind that . . .

1.                  They tend to follow a standard form

                        Name of writer (e.g., “Paul”)

                        Name of recipient (e.g., “to the church of God in Corinth”)

                        Greeting (e.g., “Grace and peace to you from God our Father”)

                        Prayer wish or thanksgiving (e.g., “I always thank God for you . . .”)

                        Body

        Final Greeting and Farewell (e.g., “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you”)

Reading The Scriptures Publicly

"What you believe about the Bible is inevitably communicated by the way you read it in public:

1. The Bible Is Spirit-Inspired

The entire Bible has its source in God. It is composed of books, sentences, phrases, words, and individual letters that He has “ . . . breathed out” (2 Ti 3:16). Without using dictation, and without destroying the individuality of each human author, God has given us a book that, in its tiniest details, is exactly what He wants it to be.

Therefore, unless it is read inaccurately (or from a faulty translation), the reader is speaking and the listener is hearing the very Word of God. We are thus encountering God Himself. It’s the nearest we get to heaven during our time on earth.

Because inspiration is verbal, you must take care as to how you pronounce and express every word. Every time you open the Bible you do so in the presence of its Author.

2. The Bible Is Clear (Perspicuous)

This does not mean that every (or any) individual Christian understands everything God has revealed. It does mean that the church of Jesus Christ, in every generation, is capable of understanding the God-breathed Word. The simplest person, with the Spirit’s illumination, is able to understand the truths necessary for salvation.

It follows, then, that the Bible should be read clearly. This cannot be done, however, if you lack an understanding of what is being read. Contrarily, when the text is rightly understood it can be read with appropriate expression.

The Preacher's Resolutions (Azurdia)

Photo Credit: www.westernseminary.edu

The Preacher’s Resolutions

"Resolved, that I will ‘preach the word’—not about the word—not from the word—not with the word—affirming that it is only the exposition of the word that communicates God’s mind and conveys His power to transform.

Resolved, that I will labor to the point of exhaustion when preparing to preach.

Resolved, that I will display the redemptive indicatives that establish the basis for moral imperatives.

Resolved, that I will repeatedly acknowledge my absolute dependence upon the empowerment of the Spirit.

Resolved, that I will allow the cross to not only determine the content of my preaching, but the manner in which I communicate it.

Resolved, that I will give careful attention to my private and public walk with God, knowing the congregation never rises to a standard higher than that being lived by the preacher.

Resolved, that I will fervently pray for the regeneration and sanctification of those to whom I preach.

Resolved, that I will preach with humble gratitude, as one privileged to be a herald of God.

Resolved, that I will preach solely for the pleasure of God and not the approbations of people."

By Professor Azurdia.

The 'Telos' Statement in Preaching

Telos statement in preaching  by Art Azurdia

"The telos is a succinct statement of summary that is ruthlessly bound to the Spirit-intended purpose of a selected text. 

The telos does not incorporate the potential implications, applications, and theological inferences of the selected text.  This is not to say that these potential implications, applications, and theological inferences cannot or should not be mentioned in the actual sermon (which, more properly speaking, is an issue to be determined when considering the sermon’s unity). 

When constructing a telos the expositor must never impose his own purpose on the text.  Such is imposition, not exposition.  Once again, the telos is a disciplined statement of summary that confines itself exclusively to the truth contained in the pertinent text (or, perhaps, asks a question that the truth of the text answers).

The Do's and Don'ts of Teaching Parables (MacArthur)

If you want to have John MacArthur as a preaching professor on a regular basis there is only one D. Min program in the world you should enroll in (and that's TMS).  Drs. John MacArthur and Steven J. Lawson are the regular teaching faculty for the Master's Seminary Doctor of Ministry program.  This is one of the reasons why the revamped Doctoral of Ministry track at TMS now has 60 pastors/missionary students.  During one of Dr. MacArthur's final lectures this past summer he talked about the Do's and Don'ts of Preaching Parables.

“The word ‘parable’ (parabole) appears forty-eight times in the Synoptic Gospels (seventeen times in Matthew, thirteen in Mark, and eighteen in Luke).  It is entirely absent in John’s Gospel and is missing in the rest of the New Testament...”[1]  The word comes from two Greek roots: para (beside) and ballo (throw).  Literally, it means "to place alongside."  It suggests a comparison between two things that are alike in some way.

Regardless of what passage or genre one is studying, employing a consistent hermeneutic is the most important component of faithful interpretation.  The student of Scripture must never depart from the grammatico-historical hermeneutic in effort to manipulate the God-intended message of the text, for the meaning of Scripture is the Scriptures (2 Tim. 2:15).  According to MacArthur, Tim Keller misrepresented the major thrust of Jesus' Good Samaritan parable in his best-selling book The Prodigal God.  This kind of thing is not uncommon when it comes to parables.  Many apparently believe you can make parables say anything you want them to say; so long as your conclusions are biblical.  This is simply not true!

Make Much of Christ: Proclaim the Four Gospels (John MacArthur)

Photo Credit: godsbreath.net

In the final summer D. Min lecture at TMS Pastor John MacArthur shared a brief word on making much of Christ especially as we preach through the four gospels.  In this lecture MacArthur noted that the gospels are historical narratives written with a theological purpose.  In view of this, MacArthur recommended that we all read Dr. Abner Chou's opening chapter (Did God Really Say...?  Hermeneutics and History in Genesis 3) in What Happened in the Garden.  In this chapter Chou demonstrates that history is the ground of theology.  "The biblical writers do not see history as merely a means of communicating theology; rather, they see history as the means of actualizing theology" (p. 29).  In the gospels Divine truths about God, Christ, Man, the Kingdom, and Salvation are taught.  The historical Gospels are especially Christological which makes them a treasure trove for preaching and Christian worship.

MacArthur went on to say that one of the most theologically rich chapters in the Bible is John 3 which highlights the doctrine of Divine regeneration ("the new birth").  Jesus' doctrinal instruction in John 3 does not compliment Billy Graham's book title, "How to be born again" as the new birth (regeneration) is monergistic (a work of One).  God alone can make dry bones come alive.  He alone can bring a spiritually dead sinner (Eph. 2:1-10) to life again.  In short, don't miss the rich theology of Christ as you work your way the four gospels!