WILLIAMSON CHALLENGES the FUTURE TEMPLE and ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

Periodically, we read things from Reformed sources, Post-millennialists, post-tribulationists, no tribulationists, no Revelationists, and Preterist sources that pretend to correct Pre-tribbers, Pre-millennialist, and future rapturists, while they know nothing about what they are talking. Now, they may do well among the kindergarten of the McDonald girl, “Left Behind” folks, Jack Van Impe (You know Rosh is Russia, Meshech is Moscow, and Tubal is Tabolsk (How about Japheth is Japan?), but they are not ready for the big leagues, if all they can do is drop names and quote dead men. – Herb Evans

– Daniel 12:11 – 13 And FROM THE TIME that the DAILY SACRIFICE shall be TAKEN AWAY, and the ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE SET UP, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days [1290]. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days [1335]. But go thou thy way TILL THE END BE: for THOU SHALT REST [Where? In the dust of the earth!] and stand in thy lot [Daniel Resurrected] AT THE END OF DAYS.

Thomas Williamson has written three booklets that we have: Mission Accomplished, Essays in Old Testament Prophecy, and 21st Century Commentary on Galatians. Thomas Williamson challenges the rebuilding of a future Jewish temple and nay says a future abomination of Desolation. It seems that Brother Williamson is a theological naysayer that is more interested in obsessively disproving someone else’s views rather than establishing his own view. Williamson’s style of disproving dispensational and pre trib doctrine is to quote DEAD men and history rather than expound the scripture, although he calls one of his books a verse by verse “exposition;” which is in reality a verse by verse commentary that does not provide meaningful and relevant proof texts or exposition for what he alleges.

In his quest to prove his views, Williamson name drops many dead men and a few living ones -- Meyer, Schaaf, Henry, Wesley, Calvin, Clarke, Poole, Ross, Whitiker, Overton, Trenchard, Overby, Gentry, Bahnen, Spurgeon, Erdman, Demar, Leithart, Ovid Need, Chilton, Wiersbe, Bray, Fortner, Chrystostom, Augustine, Barnes, Berkouwer, Bengel, Edersheim, Eliott, Farqhuarson, Robinson, Caroll, Gill, Jamieson, Fauset, and Brown, Smith’s Bible Dictionary, Prof. Pate, Prof. Haines, Josephus, Tertullian, Anathasius, Gill, Quistorp, Poole, Henry, Clarke, Bahnsen, Kik, Cox, Dickinson, Shelton, Woodrow, Ridderbos, Goodspeed, Ramsey, Bock, Blaising, Fairbairn, Murray, Pamphylius, and Gentry. You might recognize some of these still living men to be Reconstructionists of the Rushdoony persuasion (Reformed and Presby folks with more guts than their affiliations) to gainsay both the future temple building and also to play down and to weasel word any future abomination of desolation. Unfortunately, we have no desire to debate or discuss doctrine with dead men, so we will merely deal with Williamson’s challenges.

Thomas thinks, with others, that all, much, or most of Daniel’s and Revelation’s prophetic events occurred before 70 A.D. ending with Titus and the Roman army’s destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. He will not even permit a dual fulfillment of some of the things in Daniel. He uses mostly history and copy cat commentary to prove his doctrine after having accused and scolded dispensationalists and pre trib rapturists of mimicking certain former historical advocates of similar views. His biblical study of these things consists mainly of dead man quotes and historical trivia. Still, all that Williamson knows is that Matt. 24:15 and Luke 21:20-24 are not future events. Why? Because so many dead men have said so! Also, you will find him incapable of any real exegeting of passages about which he disputes or is in denial. Brothers Williamson and Ovid Need both rightly complain about overzealous pre – tribbers and dispensationalists date setting and manipulating Bible passages to fit their eschatological views, while these 70 A.D. - ERS do not bat an eyelash when they force scripture to apply historically to their eschatological 70 A.D. Williams believes that Christ is on the throne of David now in heaven ruling His kingdom of God on earth, rather than that Satan, right now, being the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2). Like Ovid Need, Williamson believes that many of the prophetic passages, in regard to Israel, now belong to the church or the elect and no longer applies to the ethnic nation. Still God has been ruling in the “kingdom of men” (Dan. 4:17, 25, 32; 5:21; 6:26) ever since the Old Testament without a throne of David.

Williamson says: “Scofield is correct in stating that the events in Dan. 7:13, 14 are identical with those of Revelation 5:1-7. But what we some times fail to realize is that the events of Revelation 5:1-7 ARE NOT IN THE FUTURE – they were fulfilled shortly after His resurrection, when Christ ascended as the Ancient of Days.” From Essays in Old Testament Prophecy, by Thomas Williamson, page 14.

It is odd that Williamson would agree with Scofield on Rev. 5:1-7. Still, John wrote Revelation after being exiled on the Isle of Patmos in 95 AD, 25 years after 70 A.D., according to the kind of history that these fellows love to parrot? In regard to much, most, or all of the Book of Revelation already being fulfilled in 70 A.D., John was shown things that must come to pass. Now, we have no objection to John writing to his contemporary churches in 95 A.D. between Rev. 1:7 and Rev. 4, before John is caught up to see heaven and to reveal the things which shall be coming to pass. The A.D. 70 theory of the fulfillment of Rev. Rev. 5:1-7 would also demand that Rev. 4 & 6 also be fulfilled in 70 A.D. along with its seven Seals with the sun becoming black and the moon as blood and the stars falling from heaven and every mountain and island moved out of its place and the heaven departed as a scroll. When does Williams think that these things happened or will happen? Were the seals opened in 70 A.D.? Does he have any more historical data on all this?

The Future Literal Kingdom Challenged?

Matt 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall SIT DOWN with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Matt 20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may SIT, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, IN THY KINGDOM.

Matt. 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not DRINK henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I DRINK it new WITH YOU in MY FATHER’S KINGDOM. (Mark 14:25)

Luke 13:28, 29, 30 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the KINGDOM OF GOD, and you yourselves thrust out And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall SIT DOWN in the kingdom of God. That ye may EAT AND DRINK AT MY TABLE IN MY KINGDOM, and SIT on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luke 14:15 . . . Blessed is he that shall EAT BREAD in the KINGDOM OF GOD.

Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in THE FAITH, and that WE must through much tribulation ENTER into the KINGDOM OF GOD.

Williamson’s other problem is that he believes that there is not any future millennial physical Kingdom of God/heaven. He believes that the spiritual kingdom of God, since Jesus, is all that there is as far as any kingdom is concerned. Now, we can agree that there is a spiritual kingdom of God/heaven that exists from the time of Jesus until now. We can also agree that saved folks are translated into this kingdom of His dear Son. We can also agree that the terms kingdom of God/heaven are used interchangeably in the scriptures. We can even go so far as to disagree with Scofield’s kingdom postponement theory. Nevertheless, this is as far as we can go. There is absolutely no reason for Jew and Gentile to “COME” from somewhere to get to an invisible kingdom of God and to actually sit down, eat, and drink there in this kingdom of God/Heaven. But Horrors, we shall actually eat and drink in this physical, synonymous kingdom of God/Heaven to judge the literal twelve tribes of Israel? The kingdom of His dear Son culminates in a tangible kingdom in the end time. It doesn’t make much sense for those already IN THE FAITH to ENTER an invisible kingdom, of which they already are translated and members, namely, the kingdom of His dear Son by the new birth.

The Prophetic Plan for Israel

Dan 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a TIME OF TROUBLE such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time . . .

Matt 24:21 For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be AFFLICTION, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

Deut 4:27 – 31 And the LORD shall SCATTER you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. (28.) And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. (29.) But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (30.) When thou art in TRIBULATION, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the LATTER DAYS, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (31.) (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God ;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee . . .

Jer. 30:7-11 . . . that day is great, so that NONE IS LIKE IT: it is even the time of JACOB”S TROUBLE; but he shall be saved out of (8.) For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: (9.) But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. (10.) Therefore fear thou not, O my servant JACOB, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O ISRAEL, for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and THY SEED from the land of their captivity; and JACOB SHALL RETURN, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. (11.) For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a FULL END OF THE NATIONS whither I have SCATTERED THEE, yet will I NOT MAKE A FULL END OF THEE:

Both Matthew and Mark refer to a time, LIKE NO OTHER TIME, since creation or ever to come. Now, if Williamson and Ovid Need are correct, there can be nothing in the future to match what happened in Jerusalem in 70 AD. Their beloved history that they love to flaunt belies such a view. God did scatter the Jews into all nations but promised that when they were in TRIBULATION in the LATTER DAYS that God would hear their cry of repentance and spare them and not forsake them or destroy them. He promised Jacob/Israel to save them and their SEED from the land of their captivity. He also promised that Jacob would RETURN from Captivity. He also promised NOT to make a full end of them even though he might make a full end of some of the other nations. There is a difference between national Israel’s repentance and Individual Jewish repentance, something that Ovid Need and Williamson cannot seem to grasp.

The Daniel 7 Account

Dan 7:17 -25 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. (18.) But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. (19.) Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; (20.) And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (21.) I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (22.) UNTIL the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (23.) Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the FOURTH KINGDOM upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. (24.) And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. (25.) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall WEAR OUT THE SAINTS of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a TIME and TIMES and the DIVIDING OF TIME.

Obviously, the saints possessing the kingdom for ever and ever was not any time soon. The course of the age would involve four main kingdoms (Babylon, Media/Persia, Greece, and Rome with ten sub-kingdoms out of the last, which some term the “revived Roman empire.” One of the Kings, the little horn, makes war with the saints (until the Lord comes) in the great tribulation, which is for a TIME, TIMES, and a DIVIDING OF TIME – 3 ½ years.

The Daniel 9 Account