1948 loomed large when I was a teenager. Here’s why: On May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv, Jewish Agency Chairman David Ben-Gurion proclaims the State of Israel, establishing the first Jewish state in 2,000 years. Ben-Gurion became Israel’s first premier. What this meant was proclaimed loudly in my church: Israel becoming a nation meant the fulfillment of prophecy.
yes, your history of this escalation from the 1948 point was my experience too. I even remember in 1981 a preacher taught without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus would be back in 1988! Spoiler - He wasn't. Even though I was a young Christian at the time, I knew what he was saying was wrong - no man knows the hour etc. - it is disturbing to me how this junk morphs to appeal to new generations and new conspiracists. Thanks for a really good overview.
After just visiting Palestine/Israel for the first time last month, and seeing the oppression of the Arab population by the IDF, it also seems quite likely that Israel the nation is itself a part of the same beastly empire (like America) that I grew up thinking were the "good guys" -- but I was duped by dispensationalism. Really thankful for Kraybill's "apocalypse and allegiance" and Gorman's "reading revelation responsibly" as they helped reframe the apocalypse of John the seer as perseverant worship marked by non-violent resistance in the way of the Lamb. What a difference this has made! I'm very eagerly looking forward to your book also and will continue to share these resources with friends and family who still cannot perceive of the US or Israel operating in the narrative by anything but "divine direction"
A very timely post. So many predicting the end again now with the Ukraine situation. And getting distracted from the real task of being the leaven of Christ in the world, to believing their ‘evangelistic’ task is to tell people these conspiracies and speculations.
And this "theology" was spread through Jesus music of the time - Larry Norman's "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" and Love Song's "The Cossack Song."
Sometime in the 80's, The Wittenburg Door had a great cartoon of Hal Lindsey sitting in his sport convertible at the entrance to his mansion "Lindsey Manor" with the caption - "Gee, Guess I was wrong."
Thank you thank you thank you Brother for this. As a former Pentecostal minister this article hits home because that’s what was taught in Bible colleges.
It will always be a special irony for me that my wife and I spent our first year of marriage in Jenkins Hall (ie Jerry Jenkins) at MBI where learning about dispensational theology & prophecy from dispensational professors convinced me it’s a poor way of reading scripture. Growing up in a dispensational church it took me a long time to realize that prophecy is about so much more than foretelling strange events in far off countries that have little to do with my discipleship. “Discerning, dissident disciples of Jesus are called to perceive and resist empire, wherever it is.” Amen! This looks like a great resource.
I am really looking forward to this book. I became a Christian in my 20s and was taught Dispensationalism. Only. It’s all I knew.
Fast forward 20 years and I moved from a non denominational church to Anglican/Episcopal. And I learned a whole new way of seeing scripture. Different meanings. Different interpretations. My heart was yearning to learn more. On fire.
I learned these interpretations of Revelation as a young Christian. I missed its beauty. It instead invoked judgement and an element of fear.
I really really look forward to reading your book.
yes, your history of this escalation from the 1948 point was my experience too. I even remember in 1981 a preacher taught without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus would be back in 1988! Spoiler - He wasn't. Even though I was a young Christian at the time, I knew what he was saying was wrong - no man knows the hour etc. - it is disturbing to me how this junk morphs to appeal to new generations and new conspiracists. Thanks for a really good overview.
After just visiting Palestine/Israel for the first time last month, and seeing the oppression of the Arab population by the IDF, it also seems quite likely that Israel the nation is itself a part of the same beastly empire (like America) that I grew up thinking were the "good guys" -- but I was duped by dispensationalism. Really thankful for Kraybill's "apocalypse and allegiance" and Gorman's "reading revelation responsibly" as they helped reframe the apocalypse of John the seer as perseverant worship marked by non-violent resistance in the way of the Lamb. What a difference this has made! I'm very eagerly looking forward to your book also and will continue to share these resources with friends and family who still cannot perceive of the US or Israel operating in the narrative by anything but "divine direction"
A very timely post. So many predicting the end again now with the Ukraine situation. And getting distracted from the real task of being the leaven of Christ in the world, to believing their ‘evangelistic’ task is to tell people these conspiracies and speculations.
And this "theology" was spread through Jesus music of the time - Larry Norman's "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" and Love Song's "The Cossack Song."
Sometime in the 80's, The Wittenburg Door had a great cartoon of Hal Lindsey sitting in his sport convertible at the entrance to his mansion "Lindsey Manor" with the caption - "Gee, Guess I was wrong."
Yes, yes, yes! I cannot wait for the book.
Thank you thank you thank you Brother for this. As a former Pentecostal minister this article hits home because that’s what was taught in Bible colleges.
I'm anticipating the read!
It will always be a special irony for me that my wife and I spent our first year of marriage in Jenkins Hall (ie Jerry Jenkins) at MBI where learning about dispensational theology & prophecy from dispensational professors convinced me it’s a poor way of reading scripture. Growing up in a dispensational church it took me a long time to realize that prophecy is about so much more than foretelling strange events in far off countries that have little to do with my discipleship. “Discerning, dissident disciples of Jesus are called to perceive and resist empire, wherever it is.” Amen! This looks like a great resource.
I remember my parents studying a book called 88 reasons Jesus will return inb 1988. 1988 came and went and 89 reasons ... was published.
I am really looking forward to this book. I became a Christian in my 20s and was taught Dispensationalism. Only. It’s all I knew.
Fast forward 20 years and I moved from a non denominational church to Anglican/Episcopal. And I learned a whole new way of seeing scripture. Different meanings. Different interpretations. My heart was yearning to learn more. On fire.
I learned these interpretations of Revelation as a young Christian. I missed its beauty. It instead invoked judgement and an element of fear.
I really really look forward to reading your book.
Camie