A Preterist recognizes God's own definition of what an "at hand" prophecy is. The lengthy passage of Ezekiel 12:21-28 lets us know just how God defines this "at hand" term. Any of Revelation's prophecies which were titled as being "at hand" (Rev. 1:3 and 22:10) meant that these prophecies were not going to be "prolonged" into "times that are far off". Instead, God would not only speak the words of the "at hand" prophecies, but God would also "perform" them "in YOUR days" to the ones who were first receiving them in the first century time frame. Scripture defines itself.
The New Jerusalem (which Hebrews 12:22 wrote that the saints had already come to by then) is still a present reality. It is a reality that has been standing unshaken ever since the shaking process of the AD 66-70 years when all the dead "weak and beggarly elements" which had composed the physical temple worship system were dissolved and passed away.
As for the Great White Throne judgment, who says that can only happen one time ONLY? Scripture never says that this is limited to one occasion only. Paul warned Felix in AD 60 about this "judgment about to be" at a resurrection of the just and the unjust which was also "about to be" (Acts 24:15). The imminence of this soon-coming judgment caused Felix's fearful, trembling response in Acts 24:25.
So, AD 70 had its own Great White Throne judgment, but there will yet be another future occasion for it at the culmination of fallen mankind's history on this planet. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." God splits this GWT judgment into two occasions - not just one.
I already addressed this above. Our view of time is completely different from God's. There is a big difference between God’s heavenly eternal perspective and our earthly temporal perspective, something you do not seem to grasp. The phrases “a long time” and “a short time” are all subject to the one talking, their perspective and the subject matter under discussion. From man's perspective 2000 years is a long time. From God's perspective it is not. Time is but a blink to His infinite mind and to the eternal state. Remember, God is “from everlasting” (Habakkuk 1:12, Psalms 93:2).
On this matter, a basic understanding of “time” and “eternity” will explain what we are looking at in Scripture. The phrase “at hand” or “near” is taken from the single Greek word
eggizō, and simply means “approaches.” It is not time-specific. It can mean immediate or distant future, like our English word. In fact, it carries the exact same sense as our English word. It all depends upon the setting and the context in view. It carries a broad meaning and does not in any way demand an imminent fulfilment. Other words like “quickly,” “shortly” and “near,” express time from God’s eternal standpoint, not man’s natural position. It is therefore wrong to force our dim earthly sense of time upon God. It is definitely foolish to build a whole theology upon that.
Christ speaks of the last day, in Matthew 24:29-31, saying,
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then (or)
tote (or
at that time)
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn (or
kopsontai)
, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
- When and why did all the tribes mourn in AD70?
- When did the “angels gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” in AD70?
In your theology: everything is a massive Gnostic illusion. Anyway, there is no factual historic evidence of this occurring in the past. It only exists in the imaginations of Full Preterists.
To attribute the coming of Titus in AD 70 in 1 Peter 4:3-7 as the “end of all things” is laughable, unbiblical and irrational. It states:
“the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. But the end of all things is at hand.”
Peter continues in verse 13 of the same passage, whilst speaking of that great final event, by encouraging the believers, saying,
“rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
The coming of Christ and the end of all things is near to God since He is not limited to time. What is more, what is considered near to Him can seem like a long time to us.
Peter informs us that “the end of
all things” occurs at the Second Advent – the time when Christ shall judge “the quick and the dead” (or the living and the dead). The context here relates to judgment day when every human will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of themselves to Christ. Moreover, he indicates, whilst the day of revelation of Christ is an awful day of woe for the wicked, it is a day of joy and reward for the righteous. Notwithstanding, and significantly, the judgment of the wicked and “the end of all things” is said to be “at hand” or
eengiken meaning ‘to be near’ or ‘approaching.’
Notably, it is from the usage of this word that the Pretribbers argue for an
imminent secret return of Christ rather than an
impending all-consummating final return, as is biblical. Notwithstanding, whether one understands the term “at hand” as
imminent or
impending isn’t particularly important here, it is the fact that the judgment of the wicked coincides with the one final future all-consummating Second Advent. Also, the clear allusion of the judgment of “the living and the dead” unquestionably proves a general judgment as the A and Postmillennialists believes.
The second coming is all-consummating and ushers in the complete end of all things old, temporal, sinful and corrupt. His return introduces the beginning of all things new, eternal, righteous and God-glorifying.
In the new heavens and new earth there is going to be no more grief, grave stones or goodbyes. There is coming a day in the future when dying, crying, pain, sorrow and the curse will cease. Or put differently, there is going to be no sea, no sepulchers, no sorrow, no suffering. All the awful effects of sin have finally and eternally been expunged, namely death, disease, disaster, disappointment, depression, and despair. All things are now new.