Shattering The' Left Behind' Delusion

Rating:
Summary: Shattering Christian Faith And Hope.
Review: A Review of John Noe's Full - Preterist book: Shattering the Left Behind Delusion entitled: Shattering Christian Faith And Hope.

Shattering the left behind delusion for John Noe and other Full Preterists means shattering Christian faith and hope. It means every Christian who has his focus on the return of Christ is under a delusion! As if the apostles themselves never outlined what was to be faith or hope for us today, Philippians 3:16-18, Hebrews 13:8-9, 2 Peter 1:15. They preach Christ already came once and for all in 70 AD. The question one must ask one's self before purchasing this book first and foremost is "What!, am I ready to deny the future and second coming of Christ?" and "What does it mean if I say Christ has already come once and for all?"

First, the coming of the Lord has to do with separating the wicked from the righteous one time once and for all at the end of the world as we know it. Matt. 25 reads "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left." So according to Matthew, if Christ has come once and for all to us the question we must ask ourselves is are we a sheep in the kingdom or are we a goat in hell as we consider the results of the Lord's parable following verse 33. But what happened to being perfected as a bride unto the coming of the Lord, Eph. 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7, 21:2? If Christ has come that means we are perfectly saved or perfectly damned, Rev. 22:11. No more need to worry about being as a goat left behind, one is already left behind if one is a goat! But the Full - Preterist will say: "Certainly Christ hass come, yet we see that these various NT tendencies seem to never cease for the saint whose life is now as a seed." So now we have a picture of the second coming, but someone with scissors has cut a hole in the picture where Christ used to be.

Second, to say Christ has come once and for all means something is past, but what can be past? Today we as Christians know only one thing to be past. We ask the Full - Preterist, and he will give us the correct answer, atonement! Very good we say. However leaving his church we suddenly become aware that there are no crosses there. Why? This is because the Full - Preterist says that atonement happened in 70 AD by his affirmation that there was no New Covenant in place till the OT temple was removed according to Hebrews 9:8. Horrors!, this means, for we who are more keen to these subtle suggestions, that Christ was a failure on the cross and that rather the church accomplished atonement. Why? See Colossians 1:23-25 "I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;" or 1 Peter 4:13 "But rejoice inasmuchas ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings" Rather Christian, these verses refer to salvation as being a process, not a process of atonement. The Christian is called to work out his salvation with fear and trembling, not his atonement with fear and trembling!

Third, faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not yet seen, Hebrews 11:1. This means that if the Lord has come preteristicly there is no more Christianity for us today, unless we are in God's living presence. The Lord's coming outlines the end of the world as we know it in absolutes. If we are in Christ's living presence now here in this world then Christ was a failure in His coming to earth to set men free from the world the flesh and the devil . . . this meaning there is no plan of redemption outlined for us by our resurrection with Christ, since resurrection and the Lord's coming are inseparably interlinked. In separating the Lord's coming from our resurrection the Full - Preterist has one foot on the dock and one foot in the boat. It is only a matter of time before he gets wet.

Donald James Perry

Rating:
Summary: Fundamentalists Need to Consider This
Review: I am a fundamentalist and found this intriguing. I take exception to calling this book counterfeit Christianity. Noe considers Jesus his Christ. Noe based his ideas on scripture and used logic. So he came to a different conclusion than the mainstream? We can't dismiss him as a heretic. Tell me where scripture refutes him. I can't find it myself. His interpretations are just as viable as others that I've heard (and I've heard all kinds in 47 years). It's refreshing to finally find a book that requires me to think about scriptures I've hither to reacted with knee-jerk agreements. Besides, what difference does it make whether Christ already came back or will come in the future? Are we going to renounce Christ if He doesn't behave in accordance the precription we mandate to Him?

Rating:
Summary: Inescapable Conclusions
Review: It's about time someone actually believed what scripture says and writes a book accordingly. The rest of Christendom (dumb?) has rationalized away the clear statements in the Word. For them the Bible does not mean what it says. Noe agrees with scripture i.e. "soon" means soon, "near" means near, "this generation" means that generation almost 2000 years ago. Praise GOD for those who take HIM at HIS WORD.

Rating:
Summary: Inescapable Conclusions
Review: It's about time someone actually believed what scripture says and writes a book accordingly. The rest of Christendom (dumb?) has rationalized away the clear statements in the Word. For them the Bible does not mean what it says. Noe agrees with scripture i.e. "soon" means soon, "near" means near, "this generation" means that generation almost 2000 years ago. Praise GOD for those who take HIM at HIS WORD.

Rating:
Summary: It's about time
Review: It's about time someone wrote a good book that counters the popular end-time "left behind" series of books. These fiction books are falsely forming end-time views in countless Christians that don't even realize there's another (preterist) valid eschatological view that fits with scripture and history. Mr. Noe's book is well written and does a thorough job of exposing many of the errors in the "left behind" series theology. Unfortunately, Noe will never see even a fraction of the same level of financial reward that Lahaye and Jenkins are receiving, but that just shows the lack of value our society places on true scholorship.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Point
Review: Noe's thesis is an accurate one. Although there is little doubt in my mind that LaHaye and Jenkins have the best of intentions in writing the "Left Behind" series, they ignore the possibility that their escatological viewpoints are not correct.

For fiction, this is perfectly fine, but Dr. LaHaye has taken it beyond this point in writing "Revelation Unvieled" and "Rapture Under Attack", the latter of which is a scathing criticism of any other viewpoint. This is especially unreasonable in my mind since the pre-Trib viewpoint is the one that has the least support from the Scriptures that I can see.

Different escatological viewpoints should be approached with respect and humility, with an open mind and an understanding that the Bible is not clear on exactly which view is correct. Harsh condemnations based only on presuppositions (as Dr. LaHaye does in "Rapture Under Attack") are unreasonable and should be avoided, period.

Rating:
Summary: Author needs his own soapbox
Review: Steer clear of this one - criticizing others for lack of original thought or a consistent viewpoint, while virtually copying their cover (not to mention riding the wave of their unique concept) illustrates the weak and timid position assumed by this author. Please achieve your own significance, not bashing others popular and widely accepted readership. As Christians, we are obviously aware of varying theories on end-times. To even slightly indicate we are not aware indicates the authors pompous platform. So sad his approach couldn't be based on his own original work.

Rating:
Summary: Well....
Review: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple message meant for ALL to hear. John Noe, a highly educated man, takes the Bible, and makes it very complicated and difficult to understand. To understand his book, I think you would have to have a degree equal to his masters.

He attempts to destroy the very core of the Bible by convincing his readers that the "end of the world" has already come - and there will be no "rapture" or catching up as referred to in 1 Thes 4:17. He makes it all so complicated that the average reader would probably just assume he's right - simply because they can't understand what he's writing.

Rating:
Summary: Read at your discretion...
Review: While yes, we cannot say when the end times may be. If you look first at scripture and then look hard and honestly at history, especially the last century, you will quickly realize that we are indeed living in the last of days...

These are some notes I made using LaHaye's work and several others (Prophecy Study Bible et al)...to prove my point...

What Has Come to Pass Concerning the Jews Destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. "Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came to Him to show Him the building of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Matthew 24:1-2, also found in Luke 19:44 This was, as shown in the time zone above, written before Roman came to destroy the country of Israel. Archeology has shown that this describes the situation of the site of Jerusalem and esp. the temple. History records that our Lord's words were fulfilled to the letter in A.D. 70. In that year the Roman army under the command of Titus destroyed the city of Jerusalem. Fires raged through the city and in the temple area itself. After the flames burned themselves out, the soldiers saw that large amounts of gold had melted and flowed into the crevices of the blocks of the temple. In order to recover the precious metal, the Romans had to take the buildings apart, stone by stone. It should be noted that there are several other predictions toward what occurred in 70 A.D. throughout the Olivet Discourse and other books of Prophecy.

"...Then say to them, `Thus says the Lord God: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel..." Ezekiel 37:21-22. It should be noted that this section is divided in step by step sections. The following above describes the events in Jewish history in the past century, especially in 1948 through 1973, and unto the present day when there is indeed...as further information in Ezekiel shows...there will be heathen (Arabian, Magog and Gog (Russia), et al) aggression and disgust toward the Jewish children of God. In the latest news reports, it has been stated that Russia will support the PLO in aggression toward the Jews. This shows the lining up of those against the Jewish people, which cumulates with the attack on Israel...which is at the beginning of the Left Behind movie and books.

"...This generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled..." Matthew 24:34. "How many people make up a generation? No particular number-even one person who comprehended the significant events of 1948 would qualify to present the "generation." However, we should not expect the entire generation to pass away before Jesus returns! Jesus was aware that the last generation before His coming would be marked by longevity-we are acquainted with several ninety-year-old men and women-so "this generation" is not limited to eighty years. Therefore, if we use either the 1948 or the 1967 date, apply the span of a person's lifetime...then subtract seven or more years for the Tribulation and an interim period between the Rapture and the signing of the covenant with Israel, we come to the same time period for the return of our Lord that many others have suggested: sometime between the turn of the century and the first quarter of the 21st century. In other words, our generation." Tim LaHaye, Are We Living in the End Times?, page 61

Information Concerning End Times Events, documented by Tim LaHaye 1.A Apostasy 1.1 the resurrection of Christ was not a real event but a legend 1.2 there was no empty tomb, no angels, no appearances 1.3 no reasonable person could believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible

1.4 the virgin of a literal Bible-the virgin of annunciation, Bethlehem, and the manger-"will have to go". 1.B Bible verses concerning apostasy. 1.a Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

1.b Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seated with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 1.c For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 1.d "...And Jesus answered and said to them: `Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many..."

2. War For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:7-8

2.1 "...there have been approximately 15 thousand wars in recorded human history...but the 20th century in particular has been far bloodier than any century that preceded it. Far more people have died in wars during the past hundred years than in all the centuries before. And the wars just keep proliferating...Obviously, wars are not `the sign' of the end! The fact is, however, Christ did inject the subject of war into His answer to His disciples' question `What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?' This can only mean that `the sign' had to be a special kind of war." LaHaye Are We...page 38.

2.2 "Our Lord used two Hebrew idioms here that His Jewish friends would quickly recognize. The first, based on 2 Chronicles 15:1-7 and Isaiah 19:1-2, is "nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (KJV). He was speaking of a war started by two nations, each combatant soon joined by the surrounding kingdoms until all the nations involved in the prophets vision are included...that is exactly what occurred in June 1914 when the Archduke of Austria...was shot...in the very area of the world where in these days UN peacekeepers must be stationed to keep the Serbs and Croats from killing each other. One month later Austria declared war on Serbia, followed shortly by the other kingdoms of the world, until all but seven nations officially joined the conflict (and even the seven "neutral" countries sent mercenaries). " LaHaye, Are We...39 2.3 It should be noted that with the end of the Great War, the world changed drastically. Not only would there not have been a Second World War if the conditions of the end result of the First World War had not occurred, there would not be as drastic a change in political and economic lines in Europe, Asia, and Africa as there is today if it had not been for the First World War. The Great War changed everything, from politics-the first real idea and working toward a "world confederation" of nations, to social levels, rights of women and of minorities in the United States and England, placing the seeds for greater disturbances between ethnic groups in Europe...

I firmly believe that the Lord is helping the authors LaHaye and Jenkins through the Holy Ghost...what was foretold is happening now...

This is a tool of the devil, sadly, but I have faith that the Lord will bring believers into the salvation of Christ through the truth of such noted Christians as Max Lucado, Hagee, Graham, and the Left Behind Series...