Welcome to the February-March, 2006, edition of Strong Tower Publishing's e-newsletter.

IN THIS ISSUE:

* Strong Tower Publishing to Reprint Tregelles Classic
* New Prewrath Blog 
* Will There Really Be a Revived Roman Empire?
* Book Review: Earthquake Resurrection
* New Movie Reviews

STRONG TOWER PUBLISHING TO REPRINT TREGELLES CLASSIC

In the early 1800s, a new rapture doctrine began to arise, a doctrine teaching that the Lord would return secretly for His Church and rapture them away with no sign or warning. Samuel P. Tregelles, a respected theologian and biblical scholar who lived in Great Britain at the time of this new doctrine's arising, took up his pen against it. The result was the classic “The Hope of Christ's Coming: What Do the Scriptures Teach? And Why?” first published in 1864. Reading this revered scholar's assessment of the new “secret rapture” teaching, now refined into what we know as “pretribulationism,” at the time it was taking hold is an absolute must-read for all students of the rapture debate. Strong Tower Publishing is bringing this classic volume back into print and it should be available for order by the end of March.


NEW PREWRATH BLOG

Dave Bussard, author of “Who Will Be Left Behind and When?” has started a prewrath blog that contains contributions not only from Bussard, but other key prewrath proponents, as well. Check it out - it's well worth your time!

http://thepre-wrathtribune.blogspot.com/


WILL THERE REALLY BE A REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE?

Recently, I have been struggling with the conventional interpretation one of the most commonly cited end-times prophecies, Nebuchanednezzar's dream of the statue with the golden head, silver chest and arms of silver, thighs of bronze, and legs of iron and feet partly of iron and partly of clay (Daniel 2). The feet of the statue are shattered by a “stone cut without hands,” and the entire statue blows away like dust, while the stone grows into a kingdom that fills the whole earth.

The interpretation of the first part of this vision is given to us in scripture. The gold head is Nebuchanednezzar's kingdom. The chest and arms of silver are Medo-Persia, which conquered Nebuchanednezzar's kingdom in Daniel's lifetime. The thighs of bronze are Greece, which subsequently conquered Medo-Persia. The legs of iron are not interpreted for us, but scholars universally accept them as the iron strength of Rome, which subsequently conquered Greece. The stone that destroys the statue is Christ, “the Stone of Israel” and “the Chief Cornerstone,” who crushes earthly power at His Second Advent and sets up His earthly reign.

The toes mixed of iron and clay have not had the same universality of interpretation. Throughout the Protestant Reformation, the iron mixed with clay in the feet and toes was seen in the dissolution of the Roman Empire into 10 separate kingdoms (the Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards), which occurred throughout the third and fourth centuries. These kingdoms were weak and, eventually, lost their power, although many of them remain as sovereign nations to this day. Over the last century or two, the most popular interpretation has been that the 10 toes represent 10 kingdoms that are yet future -- a Revived Roman Empire made up of a 10-nation confederacy (often seen in the European Union) during the end times, which Jesus will smash at the end of Daniel's 70th Week.

While the latter interpretation certainly fits in light of the political activity we see today, something has always bothered me about it. In the statue, there is no division between the legs and the toes. The dissolution of the Roman Empire into ten smaller kingdoms before the fifth century is more consistent with the imagery. A future 10-nation confederacy does not. This bothers me. So does looking for a future fulfillment if we have a past fulfillment that fits just fine.

However, those holding to the future Revived Roman Empire view have something in their favor. The stone that crushes the toes suggests that, at His Second Coming, Christ crushes a 10-nation kingdom that exists at the time of His coming, not one that is past. Although many of the 10 smaller Roman “kingdoms” still exist as sovereign nations, Rome no longer exists as a kingdom per se. Thus, in the “fulfilled prophecy” interpretation, where is the literal kingdom that Jesus crushes at His second advent? On the other hand, how does a future “Revived Roman Empire” fit the imagery of legs, feet, and toes of all one, unbroken continuum? There has not been a Roman Empire for the last 1,500 years of history.

Is there an easy resolution to this problem? No, there isn't. Both solutions are reconcilable. Neither is perfect. Some would say that we have to look to the other visions, such as the four beasts of Daniel 7, to come to a firm conclusion. However, I'm not certain that this will be entirely helpful for the same reason.

Like the Daniel 2 vision, the Daniel 7 vision includes four beasts that seem to match the parts of the statue in the earlier vision. This beast has 10 horns, representing kingdoms, which match the 10 toes of the statue. In this vision, a “little horn” comes up among the 10 horns (or 10 kingdoms) and plucks three of them out by the roots. During the Protestant Reformation, the “little horn” was seen as the Antichrist, embodied in the Papacy, which destroyed three of the former Roman kingdoms during its rise. Today, futurists interpret this prophecy as the future Antichrist arising in the 10-nation Revived Roman Empire, who ultimately destroys three of those nations. In Dan. 7:11, we are told that the little horn is destroyed and given to the burning flame, which both views see as the destruction of the Antichrist (whether the Papacy or a future individual) at the coming of Christ in Revelation 19.

The historicist view matches the facts of history, if it is uncomfortably loose for many people's taste; while the challenge for futurism is that Dan. 7:12 tells us that while the beast (Rome) itself is slain, “as for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” If the parts of the statue in Daniel 2 and the beasts of Daniel 7 represent earthly, Gentile kingdoms, as scholars commonly believe, then the match to the destruction of the Antichrist and the setting up of the Messianic Kingdom at the end of the 70th Week is not a perfect fit. The modern nations of those former kingdoms will continue under the reign of the Christ, but this does not match the imagery of the stone crushing the kingdoms completely so that they blow away.

Am I becoming a historicist? No, but I think it's important not to simply accept the interpretations we are given without questioning them. No system of interpretation is perfect, even futurism. Over the centuries, there have been many systems of prophetic interpretation, including historicism, amillennialism, historic premillennialism, and others. In the interpretation of prophecies such as these, there is a substantial amount of subjectivity, regardless of your position.

When I take a closer look at favored interpretations today, I often have questions. And that's okay. When any of us have questions, rather than sweeping them under the rug, we should examine them. There is still much we can learn from the scholarship of those who have gone before us. By taking a broader look at these familiar prophecies, we may end up at different conclusions. Or we may end up back at the same interpretations we started from. But at least we looked.


BOOK REVIEW: EARTHQUAKE RESURRECTION

Earthquake Resurrection, by David Lowe

In "Earthquake Resurrection," David Lowe makes an interesting case for an unusual view on end times events, what is essentially a blend of classic historicism and futurism. He holds that the seals are historical events, starting in the first century, but that the trumpets and bowls occur during a future Daniel's 70th Week. But this is more than a defense of a specific rapture view. It is a systematic presentation of a comprehensive end-times theology.

Despite the sensational title and marketing copy, this is a serious book by an author who has done his homework. It reads more like a commentary than the sensational book that the jacket copy suggests. Its 300 pages are deceiving, since this is a 6x9 format with small type. This is a dense book and takes some time to get through, even if you are skimming.

In terms of his theology, Lowe bases his view of the seals beginning in the first century on his interpretation of Jesus' appearance in Revelation 5, which he interprets as occurring immediately after His ascension, which is the classic historicist position. He interprets the seals symbolically, then switches to a literal interpretation of the trumpets and bowls during the future 70th Week. Like many of the other points critical to Lowe's theology, however, he does not spend sufficient time on these hinge-points to satisfy readers more immersed in the rapture debate. They serve to explain, but not always defend, his position.

Lowe does, however, spend considerable time and detail on basic concepts, such as resurrection and background on Daniel's 70th Week (as well as an interesting detour on the Shroud of Turin), plus minor details in the many Old and New Testament passages he cites throughout the book. Thus, my major criticism is that the book may be too comprehensive. Rather than focusing tightly on what is unusual about his end-times views, he writes more in a commentary style, covering a lot of ground and frequently diverging into detailed discussions on minor points.

On one hand, these divergences can provide some interesting information, especially for novice readers. On the other hand, they also detract from his stated purpose, which is to outline the timing surrounding the Second Coming of Christ and the rapture of the Church. Indeed, readers familiar with end-times theology will find that this book contains far more discussion on classic theology than on, perhaps, that which is unique to Lowe himself - his blended historicist / futurist perspective.

This is not to say that this is not a good book. It is well-written, comprehensive, and full of detail. Those familiar with the rapture debate may be dissatisfied with the amount of time Lowe spends on the unique portions of his argument. But those NOT as familiar with end-times theology may find those divergences of value.

Lowe is prone, as many end-times writers are, to making some deductive leaps that the reader may or may not agree with, especially on some minor points that may make the reader look twice and say, "what?" However, his larger outline of the basic purpose of end-times prophecy, the resurrection, and the future judgment are classic and valuable presentations; and his perspective on the timing of end-times events is an interesting one that, even if you do not end up agreeing with, is worth adding to the broader discussion of end-times events.

MOVIE REVIEWS:

THE INTERPRETER. Four stars. (PG-13) This is a really interesting film, despite its weak reviews. Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman play wounded characters, faced with the imminent assassination attempt of a brutal African dictator. Kidman has grown up in his country in southern Africa and is working as a translator in at the United Nations. Penn, an FBI agent, has just six weeks earlier lost his wife to another man, who drives her into a bridge abutment and kills them both. This is not your typical action intrigue film: It's not based on physical action so much as a character study of how each of these characters come comes to know and eventually learns to trust each other. Complex relationships between both Penn and Kidman and, reaching back to her youth in Africa where she, along with her brother, for a time took up arms to protest the dictatorship. Old friends are killed, the brother is eventually, we learn, also killed; she decides to take revenge on the dictator who is responsible for the killing of her family and has come to New York to speak before the United Nations. The movie contains good moral lessons along the way about forgiveness and about how revenge harms the avenger more than the avenged. Very clean, no sexual content; and only one brief outburst of profanity mid-way through; otherwise no bad language. A surprisingly good movie, thoughtful and sensitively made. Don't expect the action to keep you awake, however. But suitable for thoughtful audiences who are willing to follow the progression of the relationship as it grows between these two lonely, wounded human beings. (Reviewer - G. P.)

THE ISLAND. Two and a half stars. PG-13. Starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. Set in the not-so-distant future, this is an exceedingly clean film that tells the story of biological clones, "products" who are being grown and maintained as potential sources of body parts for the rich and famous, who may need them at some point as medical replacements. The clones learn of their dark origins and purpose, escape the pod-factory, and must fend off the bad guys who are chasing them in black SUVs and helicopters, trying to capture and destroy them. Unfortunately, the story is thin and the running time too long. But there are lots of special effects driving/flying and action-chase scenes; so if you like this sort of film and have some time to fill, this is a safe bet, suitable for all audiences. (Reviewer - G. P.)

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